the Court of France But things did not succeed in such a manner as the Duke expected For Cardinal Mazarine who succeeded in that Ministry and who trod in the Footsteps of his Predecessor had inspired this Princess with such Interested Politicks that from the very Moment of her assuming the Regency she was possessed with another Spirit and indeed we may affirm that she was more severe to the Duke in particular than Lewis the XIII ever had been Charles the IV. therefore frustrated on that side of all those hopes which he had conceiv'd bent his Thoughts wholly to render himself formidable to France and made no delay in the performance of it He signaliz'd himself in so many Occasions against the French that considering how much his Courage was thereby exalted there was great likelihood that one day he would attempt to re-enter into his Dominions by plain force so that the Queen and Cardinal Mazarin us'd all means possible to bring him over to their Party And this Desire particularly encreased when they saw France began to be torn in pieces by those Civil Wars which made so great a Noise during the Minority of Lewis XIV They urg'd That in regard it was upon the King that his Restoration to his Dominions depended since the King held them in his Hands he might expect from him more favourable Conditions than from the Spaniards with whom he was then ingaged They offered him an entire Restitution of all those Places which had been taken from him Nancy excepted which nevertheless they obliged themselves to restore upon the general Peace without demolishing the Fortifications But whether the Duke thought himself strong enough to regain his Country by force or that he would be reveng'd of the Queen or that he thought he could not place any great Assurance upon a Treaty made in the Minority of the King or what other Reasons he might have which could never yet be div'd into he rejected all these Conditions though seemingly so very Advantagious to him He was always at Brussels and as he was become very necessary to the Spaniards by the Assistance of his Men for which he was paid considarable Sums he made use of these Sums and of such as he gain'd by the Contributions of his Country to purchase many fair Lands in Flanders which yielded a great Revenue In the mean time how rich soever he might be Duke Francis was not so well at Ease For Charles the Fourth looking upon the Prince of Vaudemont as the presumptive Heir of Lorrain and perceiving well enough that the Duke his Brother could not but oppose his Pretensions by reason of Prince Charles his Son this thought had made such an Impression in his Spirit that he left him for this Reason at Vienna without affording him any great Assistance But this was not the worst which then befel Duke Francis who could patiently enough support the capriciousness of his Fortune For about that time he lost the Dutchess Claudia his Wife * She died in the year 1652. a Princess generally lamented in the Court of the Emperor by reason of those many amiable Qualities wherewith she was Adorn'd Duke Francis had wrastled above Fifteen Years with his evil Fortune yet he looked upon this Blow as the most severe and heavy that he had ever felt and he was so afflicted with it all his Life that he would never Marry how profitable soever a second Marriage might have proved for the Re-establishment of his Affairs He intrusted to the care of a Religious House a young Princess born likewise in the same Wedlock who afterwards was Abbess of Remiremont but is since Dead And for Prince Ferdinand and Prince Charles he put them into the Hands of Monsieur the Marquis of Beauvau to take care of their Education Charles the Fifth not being above Nine Years of Age when the Dutchess died But how great soever those Services were which Charles the Fourth had performed for Spain after his withdrawing himself into Flanders that Crown never did any thing for him though they were particularly engaged to joyn their Forces with his for the restoring him to his Dukedom Of this the Duke loudly enough complain'd insomuch that the Spaniards fearing lest being repulsed by so many vain Promises which had been made by him he would in the Conclusion seek out some other Asylum and more secure Protection than theirs to procure Tranquillity for himself and his Subjects resolved to stop him And the Count of Fuensaldagne Governor of Flanders who was none of his Friends had Order to put this Design in Execution as soon as he could find a favourable opportunity for it At the same time Archduke Leopold assisted by the Lorrain Forces gained Rocroi from the French and this was in the year 1655. And now the Campagne being ended and all the General Officers of the Spanish Army retired to Brussels the Count of Fuensaldagne whom Jealousie rather put upon Action than the Interest of his Master was only intent upon executing that secret Order which was given him And that he might not miss his aim after he had communicated his Design to the Archduke who was obliged to give his Consent he quickly dispers'd the Duke of Lorrain's Soldiers into Winter-Quarters so remote the one from the other and divided one from another by Rivers that it was impossible for them to assist their Prince who little expected so sad a Destiny though he had been admonished of it sufficiently before-hand Things being thus disposed the Count who now only waited for a favourable Opportunity found out a way to draw the Duke to the Palace under the specious pretext of some important Affairs which had faln out and wherein he had an Interest But as he thought to enter into the Council-Chamber he was stopt at the Door The next Morning he was conducted by Water down the Canal of Antwerp into the Cittadel of that City and from thence was brought into Spain and confined in the Castle of Toledo where he remained a Prisoner during the space of five Years The Count of Fuensaldagne had no sooner brought his Designs about but Archduke Leopold sent the Count of Sainte Amour at Vienna to acquaint Duke Francis with the Confinement of the Duke his Brother He alledged the Reasons which obliged the King of Spain to secure the Person of that Prince and at the same time he requested him to come and put himself at the Head of the Lorrain Forces assuring him that his Catholick Majesty had no other Intention than that of his Re-establishment and that he would never Consent to any Peace but what should prove for the advantage of his Family Duke Francis not a little griev'd for the Misfortune of the Duke his Brother and 't is probable no less apprehensive lest the like Fate might befal him upon the first Motion refus'd the Offer But the Emperor and Empress Eleonora his Aunt having united their Prayers to the importunate Sollicitations of the Archduke
so many Testimonies of his Favour upon all Occasions that offer'd themselves that this Unfortunate Prince in that Extremity to which he saw himself reduc'd believ'd that the only course he had to take was to have recourse to the King's Generosity For considering what was done there was no likelihood that he could expect any thing from the Duke of Lorrain So that he rely'd no farther upon him but he flatter'd himself that the King would suffer himself to be wrought upon to desist from his Pretensions of Succession to the Duke's Territories if he could but come to lay open the Matter before him and this was also the Opinion of his Friends Now in regard he was to be at a Ball that was to be Danced within some few days before his Majesty believing that while the Preparations for that lasted he might find some Pretence to discourse the King more frequently than he was wont to do he neglected no opportunity to speak with him At last three or four days before the Ball having met with a favourable Moment he conjur'd him to be his Protector as he had been till that day to remember how much his his Royal Word was engag'd for the Conclusion of his Marriage with Madamoiselle de Nemours and not to take advantage to his prejudice of the Duke of Lorrain his Uncle's Hatred toward him since his Majesty was so well convinc'd that it was only because he had thrown himself into his Arms that he had drawn this Tempest upon himself I know not whether the King gave any heed to this Remonstrance how submissive soever it might be but howsoever it were he was not a little surpriz'd at it He look'd very sternly upon the Prince and in a grave and serious tone told him That Kings did not govern themselves like private Persons That there were certain Maxims of State which were a Law to them which Law was also very Natural that nevertheless if he would confide in his Affection and absolutely refer the Business to him he would promise him to take a particular Care of his Interests and that considering the Condition of his Affairs the best Counsel he could follow was to rely upon his favour The Duke perceiving well by this uncertain and indefinite Answer that there was nothing more to be done there took his leave without making any reply and though he had laid the design of a Method quite contrary to that which the King advis'd him to take he dissembled so well his Resentment till the Night that the Ball was to be danc'd that no body had the least suspition of the Resolution he had taken He came to the Ball and danc'd with a surprizing Activity of Body and Gayety of Mind But he had no sooner finished his Part but he withdrew himself and that Night departed Paris attended only by his Squire and his Valet de Chambre so privately that nobody perceiv'd it This Absenting himself as much agreed upon as it was between himself Duke Francis and the Dutchess of Orleance put them however into a very great Consternation when they came to reflect upon the Destiny of a young Prince who saw himself constrain'd to go a Begging from Court to Court the Favour of Foreign Princes after so many fair Hopes and so frequently arriving within view of being one of the most happy Princes of Europe But the little hope which he had that the King of France who had been a long time in love with the Dutchies of Lorrain and Barr would resign his new Pretensions by the Donation of Charles IV. and the severe Necessity to which the Prince of Lorrain was reduc'd to wander perhaps in vain without meeting any Settlement worthy his Great Heart and Birth All these and a thousand other various Thoughts crowding into their Minds afflicted them to that degree that they could not dissemble their Grief whatever they could do to conceal it And if Duke Francis and the Dutchess of Orleance were so extreamly perplex'd for the departure of the Prince Madam de Nemours was no less For as she was a Woman of great Sincerity and that she was not of a humour to conceal her Passions she shew'd her Resentment to all the World And for the Princess her Daughter she was so little Mistress of her self upon this Occasion that she could not refrain from bursting forth into Tears THE LIFE OF Charles V. DUKE of Lorrain and Bar And Generalissimo of all the Imperial Forces THE SECOND BOOK THE Prince of Lorrain's withdrawing himself did not a little of a suddain surprize the King But in regard that considering the Condition of his Affairs there was no danger to be apprehended from it he did not much mind it Nay when he had better consider'd it he was rather overjoy'd that the Prince had Banish'd himself For though he had let the World already sufficiently know that he was no way dispos'd to give Ear to the Plaints and Suits of that Prince he was glad that now the Prince had given the World an occasion to say That the Prince himself had drawn all his Misfortunes upon his own Head that he might have come to an agreement with him had he left the Business to his Discretion and that he might perhaps have been wrought upon by his Submissions and his Services to have resign'd in his Favour the Donation of the Duke his Uncle Besides that it was a plausible pretence to break off the Marriage with Mademoiselle de Nemours for there it was that the game was to begin On the other side the Prince esteeming himself happy that he had so well withdrawn himself from Court where he was afraid of doing those Things which might in the Consequence be prejudicial to him and fearing besides least so soon as it should be perceiv'd he was missing that he might be pursu'd and Arrested by the Kings Warrant after all his diligence to avoid this second Misfortune he was no sooner got out of the Hall where the Ball was Danc'd but he made haste to a Street where some of his People attended him with his Coach and in a Moment after taking Horse he rode all Night and all the next day without making any stop till he arriv'd at Besunson from whence it was agreed between Duke Francis and Madam d'Orleance that as soon as he received News from them he should immediately depart for Vienna Now in regard this was the safest course that he could take besides that he himself was positive that considering the condition of his Affairs there was a necessity for him to throw himself into the Emperors Protection Duke Francis made no question but that he would have followed his own Resolutions But his Love for the Princess of Tuscany unluckily awaking in him at a time when he had something else to think of of a suddain he alter'd his Design and without foreseeing that what he projected could signifie nothing that he went to expose himself and at the same time
with a considerable Reinforcement which assur'd him an entire Victory The Prince in this Encounter did not only perform the Duty of an Officer but fought himself like a Common Souldier He wrested a Colours from the Hands of a Turk who came with a Resolution to have run him thorough with the Lance to which his Colours were fasten'd And those Colours of which the Emperor made him a Present were sent to Duke Francis who caus'd them to be hung up in the Chappel of the Burgundians near Nanci with an Inscription over them giving an Accompt of the Battel wherein the Turks had above Five thousand Slain The Count de Ligneville who was a Marshal de Camp in the Army never left P. Charles all the while and in regard he was an Eye-witness of what pass'd in that bloody Encounter he wrote a Relation of it to the Duke of Lorrain wherein he set forth in proper Language that the Emperor in some measure was beholding to the Prince for saving his Army in regard the daring Courage with which the Prince fought had renew'd the Combat from which the Left Wing had most shamefully flinch'd and given time to the French who were rang'd on the farthest side of the Left Wing to come to his Rescue and assist him to win a compleat Victory Some time before the Emperor who had some Reasons to conclude the War with the Turks had made Proposals of Peace which had been utterly rejected by them but being beaten both in this and the following Campagne they found it their best way to accept them and now made the Proposals first themselves though the Grand Visier had still an Army of Forty thousand Men in the Field The Peace being concluded all the French and a great part of the Germans were sent home But among the rest that the Emperor kept Standing the Prince of Lorrain's Regiment was one for which he had always a great Value after this Fight Now in regard that the Toils of the Campagne had been very tedious and for that the Prince who was indefatigable was desirous to see his own Regiment settled in their Winter Quarters in Silesia where the Air is very bad in Summer especially for Strangers he was no sooner return'd to Vienna but he fell Sick of the Small Pox and a Malignant Fever so dangerous that for a long while the Physitians despair'd of his Life However being of a strong Constitution he was so well lookt after that when he began to mend he recover'd his Strength in a little time But the Joy which he had for the Recovery of his Health lasted not long for no sooner had he vanquish'd the Affliction of two threatning Distempers but he had News that the Princess of Nemours was just about to Marry his Royal Highness of Savoy the Father of the present Duke The King of France for the Reasons already mention'd was so deeply concern'd least the Prince should Consummate the Marriage of the Princess of Nemours that he made it his whole Business to break it quite off Yet the Affection which the Princess had for the Prince of Lorrain was an obstacle which he could never surmount not thinking it good Policy to interpose his Royal Authority But Madam de Nemours being Dead a suddain Alteration of the Face of Affairs ensu'd For the King caus'd the young Princess to be put into a Nunnery there to mourn for the Dutchess her Mother During which time the Nuns who had the managing of her found out so many ways to turn and wind her and so forcibly insinuated into her Mind that the Prince of Lorrain withall his Noble Qualities had but a very small Fortune that she suffer'd her self at last to be overcome and promis'd to conform her self to the Kings Pleasure But it was so lately before that the Duke of Savoy had lost Madamoiselle de Valois his first Wife Daughter of Gaston de France Duke of Orleance that he scrupl'd to Marry Madamoiselle de Nemours so soon But they told him those were Delicacies below the Thoughts of Princes Neither indeed was that the greatest difficulty for in regard that Madamoiselle de Nemours was Marry'd to the Prince of Lorrain his Royal Highness could not Espouse her till he had a Dispensation from Rome and the Pope who was Alexander the VII refus'd it On the other side the King by his publick Minister set forth to the Pope That the Marriage not being Consummated the Princess might be Lawfully discharg'd In opposition to which the Prince of Lorrain made other Remonstrances in his own behalf And thus both sides urg'd the best and most potent Reasons that their several Casuists suggested to them So that Alexander as great a Politician as he was knew not well what to do He saw that which side soever he took he could never content both Parties Nevertheless in regard he could not dispence with taking Cognizance of the Affair he referr'd it to his Nuncio in France and the Archbishop of Paris But the Prince of Lorrain jealous of the Partiality of those Commissioners demanded that the Process might be determin'd at Rome and that the Pope might be Judge himself The King was thoroughly perswaded that the Suit as knotty as it was would be determin'd in his Favour But fearing delays and spinning out of time to shorten the way he caus'd a Petition to be presented to the Pope by Madamoiselle de Nemours her self The Princess therefore now absolutely brought over to say whatever they pleas'd themselves protested that she never heartily consented to Marry the Prince of Lorrain or if she had declar'd she had done it it was by the overruling Violence of the Dutchess of Nemours her Mother To which she added that on the other side it invincibly appear'd that the Prince himself had never given but an imperfect Consent since he never sent the Ratification of the Marriage till a long time after that Duke Francis his Father Espous'd her in his Sons Name And that if all this were not sufficient to shew that the Prince was only so earnest at that time to conclude the Marriage out of a Politick End and not out of any real Affection there needed no more for her to alledge than that affrontive Act of the Prince who having been at Paris would not vouchsafe to see her And Lastly that it was a thing notoriously known that the Prince had no Inclination for her as she never had any Inclination for him and therefore that she humbly besought his Holiness in whose Power it only was to discharge her that he would vouchsafe to hearken to her Remonstrance Now at the same time that this Petition was presented the Pope was altogether Embroyl'd with the King of France by reason of the affront which had been offer'd at Rome to the Duke of Crequi his extraordinary Ambassador For it happen'd that the Corsi who are a sort of Souldiers appointed to Guard the City and to secure the Sbirri in the
the Marquis de Vaubrune had taken upon them the Command of the Army being inform'd that Wildstadt was retaken and that the Imperialists pursu'd with a design to Fight him drew up the Army to the best Advantage he could and presently there began a most terrible Conflict which lasted from Eleven a Clock in the Forenoon till Seven in the Evening to the advantage of the Imperialists For though the loss was great on both sides Count de Lorges was constrain'd to give Ground All Men however agree that he made his Retreat like an experienc'd Captain and that he did as much at such a pinch as Turenne himself could have done For Montecuculi try'd all ways to have engag'd him a second time But seeing that it was in vain to continue the pursuit by reason of the advantageous Posts where the Count entrench'd himself he sate down before Hagunau but was constrain'd in some few days after to raise the Siege to meet the Prince of Condé who Commanded the French Army and was got as far as Strasburgh At this Siege it was that the Prince of Lorrain was wounded with a Musquet Shot but so favourably that it did him little or no harm Soon after Turenne was Slain the Duke of Lorrain his Uncle died upon the 20th of September A Prince who in his Life time had undergone many Severities of adverse Fortune and who after he had been in several dangerous Battels died in a small Village near Coblentz in the Seventy Second year of his Age. He was not so happy as to see himself restor'd to his Dominions Nevertheless it may be said that he died accompanied with Fame and Honour to his Grave For he expir'd soon after the defeat of Marshal Crequi in a remarkable Battel and after the taking of Treves where Marshal Crequi was made a Prisoner of War after he had obstinately refus'd to Surrender the place which it was so impossible for him to keep that most of the Officers were forc'd to tell him That they did not intend to loose their own Lives to recover the Honour he had lost at the Battel of Taverne and so made the Capitulation themselves without him THE LIFE OF Charles V. DUKE of Lorrain and Bar And Generalissimo of all the Imperial Forces THE THIRD BOOK SO soon as the Prince of Condé was arriv'd near Strasburgh with his Army Montecuculi march'd the Imperialists on the same side so that both Generals were almost in view of each other Never was the Prince of Lorrain so serviceable to the Imperial Army as at that time For besides that they were oblig'd to send out Detachements every Hour Montecuculi was resolv'd to give the Prince of Condé Battel so soon as he found a favourable opportunity Nevertheless as necessary as he was in Alsatia he no sooner understood the Death of his Uncle by an Officer which the Prince of Vaudemont sent to him but he repair'd in all haâ—t to the small City of Kymen seated in Honsrâ—â—k at the request of the said Prince who came thither the Night before his Father Died and Commanded the Lorrainers in his Fathers stead Now in regard these two Princes liv'd in perfect Amity together and that they were assisted by the Marquis of Grana who was a Friend to both they so order'd their particular Affairs that both were highly Satisfi'd After which Prince Charles took his leave and carried the Lorrainers along with him into the Emperors Service Prince Charles whom for the future I am to call Charles V. or the Duke of Lorrain receiv'd from all parts the Compliments of Condolement and Congratulation there being no Prince or State in Europe that did not acknowledge him for the Successor to Charles IV. and who did not Respect him as a Sovereign and a Brother except the King of France who usurp'd his Dukedoms However all People flatter'd themselves that the King would be so far from refusing him hâ—s Titles that he would restore to him his Territories In a word Madam de Guise having begg'd leave to write to the new Duke of Lorrain and desiring withall to know what Title she should give him the King made Answer That as for her she might give him what Titles she thought fitting Which presently made many presume that he had an Inclination to reinvest him in his Dutchies So much the rather because that when the Count of Windisgratz in the Emperors Name Sollicited at Paris the Restoration of Charles IV. the King told him several times That he had never seiz'd upon the Dukes Territories but because he could put no Confidence in him but when they came to Descend to a Prince that would be more Faithful to him he should never make any scruple to restore them to him But the King was far from any such Intention and the first Mark that he gave of it was that he would not Mourn for the Duke of Lorrrin but in Black as looking upon him to be no other than a Subject of his Crown and not as a Sovereign Prince for then he would have put on Purple according to the Custom of the Kings of France But that was not all It was about two years before that the King of Sweden offer'd his Mediation of a Peace between the Empire the Low Countries and France The City of Coblentz was also accepted for the place of Conference and the Plenipotentiaries were already met and the Emperor seem'd overjoy'd at the King of Sweden's Mediation But afterwards coming to consider that he had Sign'd with Holland Spain and the best part of the Circles of the Empire more especially with the Protestants this gave him so much hope of Re-establishing the House of Austria that unwilling to loose so favourable an opportunity he made an Attempt that seem'd in some Measure to be against the Law of Nations on purpose to break off the Mediation and put the King of France out of all hopes of any Reconciliation unless he resolv'd to make a Restitution of all that he had Conquer'd from Spain Germany and Lorrain The Attempt was to seize upon * Of whom mention has been already made in this History under the Name of the Count of Furstenberg This Family derives its Name from a City of Germany in Suabia and they that are of this Family are Princes of the Empire Prince William of Furstenburgh the Elector of Cologne's Plenipotentiary And this was Executed in Cologne it self in the view of all the rest of the Plenipotentiaries by the Orders of the Marquis of Grana Governor of Bon who after that caus'd some Wagons of the Ambassadors of France wherein were Fifty Thousand Crowns to be seiz'd and brought away from the same City Upon which the Plenipotentiaries of the rest of the Princes not thinking themselves safe in Cologne after two such Actions as these oblig'd the Magistrate to go and Demand Satisfaction of the Marquis who had already secured Prince William in his Garison But all the Magistrate could say was
King do what he pleas'd But immediately changing his Mind he resolv'd at length to spend some time in the Country there to walk away the disquiet of his Thoughts and bring his Determinations to an absolute Conclusion To which purpose he made choice of the Village of Montrevil which is not above a League from Paris Now in regard there were some that attended the Duke who were highly concern'd for Prince Charles they gave him notice that the Duke was designing to go out of Town and that they had some Suspicion that he would be gone the next day When this News came to the Prince it was so late at Night that it was impossible for him to wait upon his Uncle But the next day he rose very early in the Morning to attend him and let him understand that he was acquainted in part with his intention to withdraw himself privately out of Paris into Lorrain and to beseech him at the same time with all manner of Submission and Profound Respect not to take a Resolution so fatal as that would prove But the Duke was already gone The Prince was at his Wits end But being told that he was to lie that Night at Vilmareuil a House of Pleasure belonging to the Prince of Lislebonne about Fourteen Leagues from Paris he took Horse as soon as possible with only three or four in his Company Yet with all the Speed he could make he could get no farther then Meaux which is above Four Leagues from the House and it was late in the Night before he got thither too But the Duke being gone no farther then Montrevil there was no News of him at Meaux beleiving therefore that he might have taken some other Road the Prince sent away a Messenger to Vilmareuil Where finding that the Intelligence that was given him was altogether mistaken he return'd in all hast to Paris The suddain departure of Prince Charles strangely allarum'd Duke Francis and the Dutchess of Orleance For the Prince was no sooner out of Town but a Report was spread about That he was only gone to overtake the Duke his Uncle to Duel him not able to endure the Injustice which he did in refusing his Consent to his Marriage with the Princess of Nemours But his return soon quieted their Minds again However they that were acquainted with Prince Charles's Humour did him that Justice and justifi'd him from being capable of such an Ignominious Despair which was so far from procuring him any change in his Affairs that it would have utterly ruin'd 'em and been an injury to himself never to have been repair'd In short he was a Prince too Prudent to forget himself to that Degree And besides he knew too well by what ties he was bound to the Duke of Lorrain to dip his Hands in his Blood in case Fortune had favour'd him in a single Combat which however was a chance very dubious And therefore it may be readily conjectur'd that they were none of the Princes Friends that spread about such a Rumour And as it could not be without a purpose to render him odious to his Uncle so the News quickly flew to Montrevil But though the Duke gave little Credit to the Report he could not forbear flying out into sharp Language against his Nephew He was already too much incens'd not to shew some symptoms of his Anger For Princes are like other Men they are subject to the same Infirmities they are also many times more apt to entertain violent Passions than their Inferiours And there are few how generous they may be otherwise that do not find some Sweetness in Revenge So that the Duke himself could not refrain from saying openly That he would be Reveng'd of the Rashness of his Nephew that since his good or bad Fortune depended solely upon him he knew how to humble his Pride and that let what would happen he wore a Sword by his side as well as he and would not stir an Inch for him But this was not the only Misfortune that befell the Prince of Lorrain For at the same time that the Duke seem'd most exasperated Madam the Dutchess of Orleance receiv'd a Letter from an unknown Hand and without any Subscription wherein she had warning given her that three Friends of Prince Charles's among whom the Count of Furstembergh was one had a design to make away the Duke of Lorrain That they had been a long time consulting whither they should Assassinate him or seize upon his Person and then shut him up in some Castle But that at length having consider'd that which way soever they should do the Business it would be absolutely impossible to preserve the Reputation of the Prince in regard that all would come out in the end they resolv'd that the Prince should Fight his Uncle Hand to Hand there being no other way to rid him of a Prince that persecuted him so Cruelly This Letter could not be kept so private but that it came to the Duke of Lorrain Nevertheless although he had all the reason in the World to conclude it an Imposture as the Author of the Letter since Confess'd and that he were otherwise Convinc'd that if the Prince had any such design he could have had a thousand ways to put it in Execution he determin'd to make the King his Heir as he had contriv'd it before And three Days after he Sign'd a private * This Treaty was sign'd in the Abby of Mont-Marte in the presence of the D. of Guise and the Abbess his Sister Feb. 6. 1662. Treaty of which the principal Articles were I. That he made the King his Heir of the Dukedoms of Lorrain and Bar. II. That for the security of his Faith and Word he would immediately Surrender into his Hands the Town of Marsal III. That the King on his part in Acknowledgment of this Donation should associate to his Crown all the Princes of the House of Lorrain and that for the time to come they should be look'd upon in France as Princes of the Blood and that their Creation should be allow'd in all his Courts of Parliament and acknowledged by all the States of the Kingdoms of France and Navarr so that those Princes according to their Eldership should be capable of succeeding in Case the Line of Bourbon fail'd Upon occasion of which last Article it was that the Duke who sometimes lov'd to break a Jest one day joaking with the Prince of Conde told him That he never knew how to make above one Prince of the Blood in his Life but that he with one dash of his Pen had made Four and Twenty This Treaty was already Sign'd without the least Suspition that either Duke Francis or the Prince had of it for indeed who could have expected any such thing But in regard it was a thing actually done and that the King car'd not to make a Secret of it those two Princes had notice of it soon enough For Monsieur de Lionne who was himself
a Capacity to succeed to the Government of a Kingdom which had formerly belong'd to their Predecessors The King who saw that the Duke of Lorrain was fix'd in his Resolutions urg'd no farther the Surrender of Marsal He made a shew as if he did not much care for that Town and imagin'd that the Vexation for what had pass'd a little before had put the Duke into an ill Humour and that if he manag'd him well he should bring him in time frankly to perform whatever he desir'd and there was great likelihood that this way would take But when the King found him to be unalterable that all his Managements prov'd fruitless that he still obstinately demanded that the Parliament should change their Language and that he was ready to retire into Lorrain with a Resolution to defend Marsal he thought it then high time to employ more effectual means than he had hitherto made use of To that purpose he endeavour'd to hold Intelligence with the Lorrain Nobility who were not a little discontented He imagin'd that if he could but gain some of the Principal Gentlemen there would be nothing more easie than to make himself Master of Marsal and some other considerable Place to boot and therefore to effect this there was no means that he left unessay'd This Negotiation was undertaken by the Governor who stay'd at Nanci with a strong Garison till the Fortifications were dimolish'd and he miss'd but very little of Success For in regard he made large Promises to the Nobility that if they would shake off the Duke of Lorrain's Yoak they should be restor'd to their Ancient Privileges they stood tottering a long time But coming at length to consider that there is seldom the more Liberty gain'd by the Change of Domination and that our Enemy becomes our Master they rejected the King's Offers choosing rather to languish for some time under the Government of a lawful Prince though he disputed their Privileges than to purchase a dubious Liberty by Treason and Revolt But before the Lorrain Nobility had determin'd to refuse the Advantages offer'd them by the King of France Prince Charles who remained at the Court of Vienna was inform'd of what pass'd at Nanci and indeed the News alarum'd him for he thought the King would compass his Ends. Fearing therefore lest if he became Master of any one Strong Hold he would soon get Possession of all the rest and that it would not then be in the Duke's Power to expel the Enemy out of his Dominions he posted away for Lorrain and found a means himself to get into Marsal undiscover'd He was no sooner arriv'd but he dispatch'd a Courier to the Duke his Uncle to give him notice that he might not be surpriz'd at his coming Protesting withal that his putting himself into the Town was only to secure it upon the Information which had been given him that the King of France had a design to Besiege it but that he was resolv'd to defend the Place and Sacrifice his Life for his Interests The Governor also of the Place had sent him an Express for the same reason wherein he let him know that besides that the Prince was in no Condition to attempt any thing to his Prejudice he had made him a thousand Protestations that he had undertaken that Journey only to Sacrifice his Life for him and to oppose the Designs of France But the Duke mistrusting the Prince did all he could to get him out of Marsal To which purpose he caus'd Duke Francis to write to him and withal wrote himself to him The Prince's Friends likewise who saw there was somewhat of rashness in the Attempt in regar'd he expos'd himself to the danger of falling into the hands either of the Duke or the King were the first that incessantly importun'd him to withdraw Thereupon the Prince being convinc'd that the King of France had no Design upon Marsal as having not yet assur'd himself of the Nobility and finding besides the King could not corrupt any one Officer of the Garison and that he had fancied to himself without any grounds that he could make himself Master of the Place he departed some few days after and return'd to Vienna This Action of the Prince of Lorrain as inconsiderately undertaken as it was shew'd nevertheless a Great and Generous Spirit which they who blam'd him most admir'd in him And all agreed that it was an Auspicious Preludium to his future Performances and that in that Attempt they beheld the Bravery of his Ancestors To which they added that what would have been an inexcusable Imprudence in an experienc'd Captain was a piece of Temerity to be applauded in a young Prince whom it behov'd to be covetous of Honour that they who never had an opportunity to signalize themselves ought not to refuse the first that presents it self and that the Prince had done more in daring to put himself into Marsal at that time than if he had made himself Master of it at another and this was also the Discourse of his Enemies Nor could Lewis XIV refrain from acknowledging that he had made himself an Enemy that he fear'd would find him work enough one day And the Duke himself was so scar'd with a Resolution so daring that in a short time after he left Paris and return'd into Lorrain out of an apprehension that the Prince would not stop there but that he was labouring underhand to make a Party and excite the Nobility to Rebellion For he could not put it out of his Mind that the Prince would have engag'd in an Enterprize so hazardous but that he had kept Intelligence with his Enemies which was a Conjecture not without Probability However these Reasons could not oblige the Duke to be more moderate toward the Nobility in respect of their Privileges Nay he carried things with so high a hand that they were near upon the Point of throwing off their Masks and declaring for the King of France who desirous to make Advantage of the Occasions of their Discontents never ceas'd solliciting them to shake off the Duke's Fetters flattering them withal that under his Government they should enjoy their Privileges so amply that they should never repent the change of their Master Nevertheless the Lorrain Nobility upon better Consideration chose rather to suffer for a while than to venture the utmost Extremity so that all the Practises of the King of France came to nothing Which caus'd him to take a more sure way to constrain the Duke to deliver up Marsal He therefore Summon'd him to Surrender the Place without further delay alledging without vouchsafing to hear the Duke's Reasons that the Princess Nicole had privately pass'd a Donation of the Dukedoms of Lorrain and Barr to the deceas'd Lewis XIII his Father and that he himself had made another so authentick that it was impossible for him to retract it whatever Imaginations he might have and thereupon he order'd his Forces that lay still in and about
Executions of Justice having a quarrel with two or three French Men of the Ambassadors Train the French Men defended themselves so well that they wounded some of their Antagonists Thereupon the Corsi who had received the first Abuse minding nothing but to Revenge themselves gave the alarum to all their Companies consisting of about Four Hunderd Men and no sooner were they got together but away they march'd toward the Ambassadors Palace with Colours flying and Drums beating as if it had been in open War The Duke of Crequi hearing the noise which the Corsi made came forth into a Balcony thinking to pacifie 'em but they made him no other Answer than in the Language of Musquets and Carbines and meeting with his Dutthess in the Street they shot several Bullets through the Coach and kill'd a Page that was going by the Coach with his Hand upon the Boot and several other Violences of this Nature they committed too long to repeat So that the Duke of Crequi not finding himself safe at Rome privately withdrew from the City together with his Dutchess and some of his Domestick Servants and retir'd to Florence The King of France was so enrag'd at the Affront he had receiv'd in the Person of his Ambassador that he declared War at the same time against the Pope sent Forces into Italy and seized upon Avignon Alexander VII who fear'd the Consequences of the War gave the King to understand that he had no Hand in the Action of the Corsi that he was ready to punish the Guilty and to give Satisfaction to his Ambassador provided he would recal his Souldiers and restore the Territories of which he had taken Possession But the King would hear of no Accommodation unless upon his own Terms The Pope us'd all his Endeavours to draw in the Catholick Princes to make a League with him But all refusing he was compell'd to submit to whatever the King pleas'd and so Consented to an Accommodation that will remain an Eternal Monument of Infamy to the See of Rome For he was not only forc'd to disown in a most shameful manner what the Corsi had done but his Brother Don Maria was compell'd to depart Rome The Corsi were perpetually banish'd the Town from whence the Imperial Cardinal Governor of Rome was also exil'd forc'd to acknowledge himself Guilty and to go and submit himself to the King's Pleasure and there was a Pyramid also rais'd over against the Court of Guard where the Corsi watch'd upon which was engrav'd in Letters of Gold an Inscription giving an account of the Satisfaction which the King had demanded and to which the Pope had submitted How ignominious soever this Accommodation were for the Pope he was so well contented that the King of France did not come to burn him in Rome as he had threatn'd that he had no Mind to embroil himself with him any more The danger he had scap'd was too great for him to venture any more of those Hazards and therefore he thought it his Duty to let France know how ready he was to Espouse her Interests So that he had no sooner read Madamoiselle de Nemours Petition but he gave the Princess liberty to Marry with his Royal Highness of Savoy The Duke of Lorrain was importun'd to send to Rome before Madamoiselle de Nemours arriv'd in Piemont to Remonstrate to the Pope that he could not grant the Dispensation he had given before he had imparted the Princesses Petition to his Nephew but the Duke would do nothing in it Only he consented that Duke Francis might send one of his Gentlemen which signifi'd as little For he was no sooner arriv'd at Rome but he heard the Marriage was Consummated So that all the Satisfaction he receiv'd from the Pope was only this That he was sorry he had not been sooner inform'd of his Reasons but the Business was done and there was no Remedy Now in regard that the Emperor was at Peace as well with all the Princes of Europe as with the Turk the Prince of Lorrain was constrain'd to live a vacant Life for some years at Vienna while the Count of Vaudemont and the Prince of Lislebonne had an opportunity to signalize their Valour every day in the War between the Duke of Lorrain and the Elector Palatine which lasted till the year 1666. But he endeavour'd to make the best of that occasion to set his Affairs in Order or to raise his Fortunes so as to repair the loss of his Territories of Lorrain and Bar in case that Charles the IV. should continue his Resolutions to cross him or that he were powerful enough to oppose the King of France So soon therefore as the Marriage of Madamoiselle de Nemours to the Duke of Savoy was known at Vienna all People thought that Prince Charles would have Courted the Emperors Sister who was a Lady of a great Beauty This was the Princess Eleanora Maria. Withall they believ'd that the Emperor would have been glad of the Match the Alliance not being to be Contemn'd in regaed of the great Advantages it would produce against France if ever the Prince came to be Master of Lorrain But it did not appear that the Prince was any thing forward to win the Affections of that Princess He was so disheartned by the former ill Successes of his first Amours And besides he was so taken up with the care of his own Affairs and the raising his Fortune that he never took notice that the Princess Eleanora was so charming as she was And therefore in regard there was nothing which he thought could more conduce to the Re-establishment of his Affairs than to fix himself more and more in the Emperors Favour he directed his Addresses to the * This was Eleanora de Gonzaga Daughter of Charles Duke of Mantona the Third Wife of Ferdinand III. and Mother of the Princess Eleonora Maria. Empress Dowager whom he Courted with an extraordinary Assiduity in regard that Princess had an unexpressible Ascendant over the Emperor her Son Much about this time * She died at the Louvre in Paris Jun. 20. 1666 in the 64th year of her Age And because she was the Daughter of a King the Sister Wife and Mother of a King this Epitaph was put upon her Tomb Et Soror Conjux Mater Nataque Regnum Nulla unquam tanto Sanguine digna fuit Of Crowned Heads to Europe so well known Wife Sister Mother Daughter met in one Is what to Woman ne'er was yet allow'd To be thought Worthy so much Royal Blood died Anne of Auâ—â—ria the Mother of Lewis XIV which was a great loss to the Prince for that she had always a great kindness for him As for the Duke of Lorrain Charles IV. of whom we may say that his Life was a perpetual warfare after the Peace concluded between him and the Elector Palatine he was forc'd to take up Arms again against the same Elector But France having at that time Sign'd the Peace concluded
at Aix la Chapelle in regard she had no longer Wars with Spain and had Disbanded good part of her Forces she was willing the Duke should follow her Example On the other side the Duke of Lorrain having Intelligence every day that the Elector Palatine drew his Forces together and had certainly some design upon his Frontiers he let the King know the danger he was in if he had not an Army on Foot But the King making Solemn Protestations and having likewise given him his Royal Word that the Elector had no Thoughts of molesting him he dismiss'd his Army and dispers'd his Men after such a manner that it was not easie for him to draw them together again if necessity requir'd it But the Intelligence given the Duke of Lorrain that the Palatine Elector had some design upon him prov'd too true For he had no sooner dismiss'd his Army but he understood that the Elector had besieged and taken the Castles of Landstoaille and Honde and made his Prisoners the Commander of the Prince of Vaudemont's Regiment and several other Officers who confiding in the Kings Assurance that the Elector would not stir were altogether unprovided to defend themselves The Duke had no sooner receiv'd the News but he rally'd a good part of his Men and put them under the Command of the Prince of Lislebonne withal giving the Count of Vaudemont orders to accompany him with his Regiment of Horse Now though the Lorrain Army were nothing near so numerous as that of the Electors yet they enter'd the Palatinate and after several Skirmishes the Princes of Lislebonne and Vaudemont coming to encamp near the Enemy a Battel was fought wherein one part of the Electors Army was cut in pieces and the other utterly routed But as entire a Victory as it was the Duke of Lorrain made no Advantage of it For the Elector after such an unexpected Misfortune fearing the loss of his Country put himself under the Protection of France and by his Resident at Paris desir'd the King to interpose his Authority and Power for the concluding a War which he was no longer able to maintain Upon which the King who waited only for Pretences to bring down the Duke of Lorrain and wisht besides that the Duke would delay to obey his Commands that he might have an occasion to declare War against him and seize upon his Territories sent him Word That he should dismiss his Army forthwith upon pretence that his Army gave him cause of Jealousie and therefore letting him understand that he must absolutely resolve to lay down his Arms according to the general Treaty of Peace which gave him Power only to retain some Companies of his Guards and his light Horsemen but not to have standing Armies Promising however to protect him against the Elector in case he did not dismiss his Forces or attempted any thing against him The Duke who stomach'd the King of France's Controul answer'd him first haughtily enough That the King of France was not his Master That he had only a small Army to defend himself against the Attempts of an open Enemy and that if the King went about to constrain him he made no doubt but there were Princes in Europe that would Infallibly stand by him But the Kings Messenger having given him to understand that Marshal Crequi was upon the Frontiers of his Territories with Orders in case of refusal to advance with Ten Thousand Men the Duke was so terrifi'd with that same dreadful Menace that he thought it his best way to dismiss his Men. And having taken this Resolution he began to put it in execution But whither it were that he did not proceed to the King of France's Liking or that Marshal Crequi who was sent into Lorrain with some other Commissioners to see the Dukes Army disbanded were troubl'd to see the War so soon at an end and started Suspicions on purpose the Cities of Pent a Mousson St. Michael and some others were surpriz'd at the same time that the Prince of Vaudemont was about to enter into those Places to meet Marshal Crequi on the Dukes behalf and perfect what remain'd to be done for the Kings full Satisfaction True it is that the Duke having made his Complaint of the Violences committed by the Marshal the King to shew him that he had no design but for the publick Tranquility and not to invade the Dukes Territories recall'd his Garisons out of those Places which the Marshal had taken and all his other Forces out of Lorrain So that Lorrain began to enjoy that Peace which it had not enjoy'd for above Five and thirty years before But this Repose lasted so small a while that it could hardly be perceiv'd While things thus pass'd in Lorrain the Troubles in Hungary brake out again There was first a Conspiracy against the Life of the Emperor which would have prov'd fatal to Prince Charles had the Conspirators succeeded in their Design I shall not here repeat the Original of those Troubles because it is a Thing so well known I shall only tell ye that Count Serini who till then had adher'd to the Emperors Interests secretly strook in with the Male-Contents as did also Count Nadash some time after upon the score of a Palatine Employment which the Emperor had denied him These two Counts blinded by their Fury and believing it not enough to take up Arms against the Emperor laid a design to take away his Life and the more easie to bring their Endeavours about they so well dissembl'd their Resentment that no body perceiv'd that they kept the least Intelligence with the Male-Contents Count Serini more especially was so little suspected by his Imperial Majesty that he had entrusted him to take care of fortifying the Frontier Towns And at this time it was that feigning to be wholly taken up in forwarding the Work committed to his Care both he and Nadish jointly resolv'd to attempt the Emperor's Life who was preparing to meet the Empress his Wife that was expected out of * The 25th of April 1666 Leopold Married Margaret Maria Therese Daughter of Philip IV. King of Spain His second Wife was Claudia Felicitie of Austria Dutchess of Inspruch in the year 1673. And at the end of the same year he Married a third time with the Princess Palatine of Neuburgh Elianora Maria Therese Daughter of the Elector Palatine lately deceas'd Spain To this end they had contriv'd to lay Five hundred Men in a certain place through which the Emperor was to ride Post accompanied only with the Grand Master of his House and ten or a dozen Gentlemen and the Commander of those Troops had himself engag'd to stab the Emperor But in regard it was a difficult thing to succeed in so horrid a Design Couâ—â— Nadash had tried an infinite number of ways which still prov'd ineffectual But at length having corrupted a Carpenter that wrought in a new Apartment which the Emperor was making in his Palace for the Empress
Dowager the Carpenter set Fire to the Palace In the mean time though the Emperor were upon his Journey they that were posted to seize upon his Person or assassinate him had not the Courage to execute their Barbarous Orders However Nadash was nothing disheartned at this but believing that Poyson would be more successful some time after he invited the Emperor and the Empress the Imperial Princesses and the Prince of Lorrain to see some Fishing-Sport at Pattendorff which was a Seat of his own There he Feasted them Magnificently and it was none of his fault that the Poyson'd-Plate that was prepar'd for him did not come to his share But the Countess his Wife apprehending his Design caus'd the Emperor to be serv'd with a Plate resembling the t'other which broke the Counts Measures and sav'd the Lives of the Emperor and all the Imperial Guests Most of these things happen'd in the Years 1668 and 1669. And then it was that the Duke of Lorrain Married the Prince of Vaudemont to the Princess d'Elboeuf Anne Elisabeth of Lorrain a Princess of great Wit and Incomparable Beauty About the same time Casimer V. had resign'd his Crown to spend the Remainder of his Days in Ease and Retirement Now in regard the Kingdom of Poland is Elective the Polonians to remove all Occasion of Jealousie and Civil War from the Grandees of the Kingdom who might have any Claim to the Royalty have all along accustomed themselves to make Choice of Foreign Princes The Duke of * The Elector Palatine last deceas'd Philip William who died at Vienna Septemb. 2. 1690 in the Seventy fifth year of his Age. Newburgh and the Prince of Conde were the first that stood Competitors for the Election and had each of them a considerable Party in it But the Prince of Lorrain who had the same Design put the Emperor upon appearing in his behalf and then it was that he found that the Empress Dowager was absolutely for carrying on his Interests since there was nothing which she left undone to procure him the Upper-hand of his Competitors it being both her's and the Emperor's Design to Marry him with the Princess Eleanora Maria. In the mean time because the Business requir'd a vast Expence for these sorts of Elections are not to be canvass'd without store of Money and for that the Prince had only a Pension which the Emperor and Empress Dowager allow'd him the Duke of Lorrain told Duke Francis that he would furnish the Prince with Money necessary for such an Undertaking provided he would Sign the Contract of Marriage between the Prince of Vaudemont and the Princess d'Elboeuf and cause Prince Charles to Sign it also The Marriage of that Prince had been celebrated with so much Pomp and Magnificence of Ceremonies that Duke Francis made no question but that it was the Dukes Intention to settle the Succession upon him to the prejudice of the Prince his Son The Nuptials were solemniz'd at Bar after which the Prince of Vaudemont and the Princess being conducted to Nanci made their Entry with no less Splendour then if the Duke had been Married himself Never did the Duke of Lorrain express so much outward Joy as he did upon that Occasion Besides the extraordinary Civilities which he paid to the new Bride he would have the Princess of Lislebone to yield her the Precedence though she were Niece to the Prince her Husband And as for what he did for the Prince his Son he made over to him in Soveraignty a considerable part of his Territories These Considerations made Duke Francis always refuse to Sign the Marriage of the Prince of Vaudemont But the Assistance which the Duke of Lorrain promis'd the Prince and which he gave him effectually to advance him to the Crown of Poland over-ruled Duke Francis and the Prince to Sign not only the Marriage but also a particular Treaty by vertue of which Prince Vaudemont enter'd at the same time into Possession of the Principal Places that were assign'd him But notwithstanding all the Methods which the Emperor had taken and the large Sums which the Duke of Lorrain had contributed toward the Advancement of his Nephew it was impossible for the Prince to bring his Desires to pass For in regard the Duke of Newburgh and the Prince of Condè had each of them their Faction in the Kingdom as well as he the Polanders fearing that neither of the Rivals would give way to him that was Elected unless constrain'd by Force of Arms as they had openly and severally given out they cast their Eyes upon a Prince of their own Nation to avoid a Civil War and made choice of Michael Korobat Wiesnowisky who was Crown'd Sept. 29. 1669. The Grief which Prince Charles conceiv'd for missing the Election in Poland was attended by another Misfortune which he endur'd with no less trouble of Mind And that was the Death of Duke Francis his Father that happen'd Jan. 27. 1679. and which was as it were an ill Omen of the Consummation of those Misfortunes that were to befall the House For the same year the K. of France drove Charles IV. quite out of his Dominions and constrain'd him to seek out for Sanctuary among Foreign Princes which he had much ado to find 'T is true that it may well be said the Duke drew this last Calamity upon himself For not being able so to govern himself as to comply with France he furnished Lewis XIV with so many Pretences that he could not believe there was any Prince in Europe would blame him for despoiling the Duke of all his Dominions I must confess 't was always the Dukes unhappiness to be oblig'd to receive Laws from France notwithstanding his usual vaunting that being a Soveraign he had no dependance upon any but God and his Sword But in regard that as his Affairs stood the King of France could humble him upon all occasions it had been but Prudence to have comply'd with the Time and to have dissembled with a Prince that was so formidable to him Nevertheless as if he had had a sufficient Power to withstand all his Enterprizes he took so little care to manage him that he rather might be said to make it his Business to provoke him and furnish him with Opportunities to seize upon his Country And therefore it was that out of a desire to have an Army on foot he levy'd Men upon the first occasion that presented it self quite contrary to his own Interests To which purpose the Troubles of Hungary furnish'd him with one occasion which he resolv'd not to let slip though he plainly saw that it was directly contrary to the King of France's Capitulation by which he was bound not to levy any Forces under pretence of giving France an occasion of Suspition But in regard he cover'd his Design with a pretence of sending Assistance to the Emperor he made several Levies and to shew that his only Aim was to aid his Imperial Majesty he sent the
fear the Disappointment of his Precautions which was that the Imperial Treasury was almost exhausted The Army was not wholly pay'd off and a great part of the Mutineers remain'd still at Constantinople to have Right done them There was a necessity of keeping several Armies on foot and of vast Expences for the Preparations against the next Campagne The only Expedient which the new Visier could find was to lay new Impositions upon the People the Immense Sums which had been already heap'd together by constraint upon the People to pay the Taxes laid upon them being not sufficient to satisfie the Soldiers And these Impositions they were that renewed the foregoing Troubles after so horrid a manner that Constantinople was within a little of being sackt and the new Sultan massacred by the Rebels The Spahi's that staid in the City joyning with the Militia and a part of the Rabble themselves depos'd the Principal Officers from their Employments and having besieg'd the Palace of Siaoux that new Visier was butcher'd after the most miserable manner in the World I only speak of some part of these Disorders in Constantinople Upon this the Grand-Signior took off the new Impositions and this begat him so much the Love of the People that having set up the Standard of Mahomet he rally'd together about the Seraglio above a hundred thousand Men which though for the most part unarmed shew'd however so great a Resolution that the greatest part of the Mutineers were disperst or cut in pieces After which Solyman created Ishmael Bassa Grand-Visier a Person much in the Peoples favour which in a manner restor'd the City to its former tranquility However this new Minister was laid aside in a little time after and Mustapha Bassa was advanced in his Room But the Bassa who commanded at Belgrade and had under him the Hungarian Army upon the news of the new Visiers advancement immediately mutiny'd and set all in a flame pretending that the Dignity was his due after he had obtain'd by his Artifices and Intreagues the Deposal of Ishmael Bassa So that the Repose which the Ottoman Empire seem'd to enjoy being but a Shadow of Peace which might have been disipated in a moment there was just reason to hope that if the Emperor had been as well serv'd then as he was in the preceding Campagnes it would have been no difficult thing for him to have continu'd his Conquests and to have render'd himself Master of all Hungary But two unlucky and unexpected Circumstances gave him cause to fear that he should not be in a Condition to make his Advantage of the Troubles and Divisions among the Infidels The first was That the Elector of Bavaria had resolv'd not to take the Field For though there had been a Regulation already made of the Body of the Army which he was to command and that the General Officers that were to serve under him were nominated yet at the same time that he was expected at Vienna there came a Courier from him who brought the news that it was impossible for him to march into Hungary by reason of the Marriage of his Sister with the Duke of Tuscany It was immediately suspected that the Elector who had so highly signaliz'd himself in the preceding Campagnes was grown weary of serving under another General and that the Marriage of the Princess his Sister was only a Pretence which he was willing to lay hold of that he might not be oblig'd to share his Honour with the Duke of Lorrain and it was thought the Elector by this design'd the sole Command to himself In short it was then reported that a Minister of State had propos'd to the Emperor to make him Generalissimo of his Armies and to keep the Duke of Lorrain at Vienna to be President of his Council of War in the Room of Prince Herman of Baden who was for that purpose to have been discharg'd from that Employment However it were in regard the Emperor was far from doing that Injustice to the Duke of Lorrain to whom he was to Sacrifice as I may so say Prince Herman of Baden by sending him to the Dyet at Ratisbonne under the Character of his First Commissioner only out of a Design to remove him out of the sight of an Enemy of whom he would have had just reason to Complain and for that he had given a thousand Testimonies of his Affection for that Prince and of the Confidence he had in his Counsels for these Reasons it was that the Resolution of the Duke of Bavaria whom he would have preferr'd before any other but the Duke of Lorrain whose presence was so necessary in Hungary troubled his Majesty very much The next Circumstance which was worse then t'other was this that the Duke of Lorrain was seiz'd at Vienna by a Distemper so dangerous that all Men were afraid for the Life of that great Prince The frequent Vomitings and other scurvy Symptoms which accompany'd his Disease made Men suspect at the same time that he was Poyson'd And in regard the Physicians unanimously despair'd of his Cure the Emperor began to be pensive past Consolation However such was the Care of of those that attended him and the Remedies apply'd so prevalent that at length he began to mend But then when it was thought the worst had been past he fell into a Relapse so dangerous that the Physicians gave him quite over 'T is true that at first they would have conceal'd his Sickness from the Queen Dowager of Poland but when they thought there was no hopes of Life a Courier was sent away to Inspruck to let her understand his Condition that she might have the satisfaction to see her Husband before he expir'd which brought her in haste to Vienna But fortunately the Judgments of the Physitians prov'd Erroneous for the Duke mended of a suddain But still the Indisposition of Body and the great weaknesses under which he labour'd were such that the Emperor well saw that he could not be in a Condition to endure the Hardships of a Campagne though perfectly recover'd in his Health So that while he waited to regain the Duke of Bavaria he gave the Command of the Army to Caprara However all this while there had been no care wanting at Vienna to prepare against the Campagne for they would not hear of any Peace with the Port. True it is that the Grand Visier Solyman after his Defeat had written a Letter full of Elogies to the Duke of Lorrain wherein he acknowledged that the Losses which the Empire had sustain'd proceeded only from the Grand Signior's Breach of Faith in violating the Treaties between the two Empires but that having sufficiently paid for it by all the fatal Events that had happen'd for Four years together since the Beginning of the War it was now time to stop the Effusion of Blood that had been spilt on both sides but the Emperor would vouchsafe no Answer to the Visier Quite the contrary he was in Treaty