Religion they knew very well that if England and Holland had been left ingag'd in a War with the French King all the advantages he would have had by it would onely have made more firm and lasting Fetters for themselves and 't is therefore probable that the Emperour and King of Spain joyn'd in this Peace of Italy at the Popes most earnest Sollicitations who though his Mediation signified little on the other side of the Alpes yet was very desirous of seeing Peace at his own doors and us'd consequently all his Industry and Interest to bring it about And if such were the vain and groundless hopes of the Popish Bigots abroad our Jacobites were no less elevated at home upon this separate Treaty of Savoy and the consequent Treaty for the Peace of Italy they could imagine no less than that the French King would force every one of the Allies in the Continent of Europe one after another to make up an accommodation and thus that nothing would remain for him but to deal with England and bend all his Forces upon it for the reestablishment of the late King But they both have been very much deceiv'd in the event which does now convince the World that the French King aim'd particularly at coming by this means the sooner to a General Peace with all the Allyes and to have so much the better Terms for himself And indeed at that very time that these things were Transacting in Italy so much to the prejudice of the General Interest of the Allyes the French King had an Agent in Holland to make overtures of a General Peace and the Duke of Savoy made use of this very pretext to excuse the Treaty he had made apart with France in his Letter to the Elector of Brandenbourgh he was jealous or rather pretended to be so of the States having receiv'd an Agent from France to treat with them and therefore he thought that he might very well treat for himself Monsieur de Callieres as we have said it in our precedent History had come to Holland with a passe from the States at the very opening of the Campagne and resided privately at Delft the whole Summer to negotiate Affairs with some of the States Ministers in order to come to a General Treaty this occasion'd so many Journeys which Monsieur Dyckvelt made between Holland and the Camp in Brabant to give an account to the King and receive His Majesty's instructions But whether the uncertain state of the King of Spain's Health who had a most dangerous fit of sickness the latter end of the Summer made the French delay and spin away time in their Offers or that the Imperialists and Spaniards were unwilling to hear of reducing things no farther than the Treaty of Nimeguen the King of Swedens Mediation was not accepted in due Form by the French King and the Congress of the Allies at the Hague till the Campagne was over or rather till the beginning of the Winter upon which the Baron de Lillienroot the Swedish Minister at the Hague receiv'd full powers from Stockholme to manage the Mediatour's part in the Congress that should be held for the concluding of a General Peace between France and the Allies Things being brought thus far towards a Treaty the several Princes concern'd begun to appoint Ambassadors and Plenipotentiaries for it of which I shall onely mention the Principal On the Emperours side were nam'd the Count de Caunitz his Ambassadour and Plenipotentiary at the Congress of the Allies at the Hague Count Straatman and the Baron de Zeilern On his Majesty of Great Britains the Earl of Pembrook my Lord Viscount Villiers now E. of Jersey His Majesty's Ambassador to the States and Plenipotentiary at the Congress of the Allies at the Hague and Sir Jos Williamson to whom was joyn'd afterwards in Commission as third Plenipotentiary Ambassador my L. Lexinton His Majesties Ambassador at Vienna as 't were provisionally for during the whole Congress he did not leave the Imperial Court. On the French Kings behalf were nam'd M. de Harlay Boneuil Monsieur de Courtin who not being able to attend upon this great imployment by reason of his great age and a blindness that seiz'd him immediately after his Nomination Count de Crecy Verjus was appointed in his stead as second and the third Monsieur de Calliere before hand in Holland as his Most Christian Majesty's Agent to make the Overtures of a Treaty On the behalf of Spain were nam'd Don Barnardo de Quiros the King of Spain's Ambassadour to the States General and Plenipotentiary at the Congress of the Allies at the Hague and the Count de Tirimont to whom the Elector of Bavaria joyn'd the Baron de Preylmeyer to take care of his own particular Interest For the States General were nam'd Messieurs Boreel Dyckvelt and Van Haren all these had the Character of Ambassadours Extraordinary and Plenipotentiaries as well as the Mediatour The rest I shall leave to those who write particularly the Account of the Negotiations of this Peace to account for After the accepting the Mediation of Sweden and the naming of Plenipotentiary Ambassadours by the Chief Powers concern'd Monsieur de Callieres who hitherto had kept up very privately in Holland and mostly at Delft took upon him the publick Character of the French Kings Minister and had very frequent Conferences with the Ministers of the States in the presence of the Mediatour or particularly among themselves to settle the Preliminaries in order to come to a place of Treaty Monsieur d'Avaux the French Ambassadour at Stockholm had made several offers to the Court of Sweden in order to open the way to a General Treaty by the Mediation of that Crown not onely during the Campagne of 1696. but also in the Winter 1694. which the Allies pretended to have been more advantagious than those given by Monsieur de Callieres at the Hague This created some contest about settling the Preliminaries and therefore retarded that Business for some time however the French Court having insisted upon Monsieur de Callieres offers as the onely authentick ones the Preliminaries were at last agreed upon and sign'd by the Mediatour in presence of Monsieur de Callieres and Messieurs Boreel and Dyckvelt the 31th of January old Style of which this was the Substance Monsieur de Callieres having communicated his full power from the French King for this purpose to the Mediatour did declare in the French King his Masters Name that in order to a General Treaty of Peace his Most Christian Majesty Consented and Agreed 1. That the Treaties of Westphalia and Nimoguen should be the Basis and Foundation of the Treaty to be made with the Allies 2. To Restore to the Empire the Town of Strasbourg in the Condition it was when taken by his Majesty 3. To Restore to the King of Spain the Town of Luxembourgh in the state 't is now in 4. The Towns of Mons and Charloroy as they are at present
along the Demer about Hasselt had Orders to come to Louvain the 26th and incamp between this place and Corbeck upon the Dyle and being joyn'd the 27th by the Regiments of Horse of Tilly Erbach Prince Philip Nassau-Friezland Flodorf Huybert Saxen-Heylbourg Saxon-Gotha and Arco from the neighbouring Quarters they came to Tombeck and Rassiere the Brook of Lahn before them being all under the Command of Count Tilly The Dutch Infantry cantoon'd hereabouts incamp'd at Eygenhoven and the Brandenbourg Troops Quarter'd about Diest and Arfcht and Villages along the Rupelle came to incamp the 27th between Terhulpen and Gerival near the Bois de Sogne towards Wavre commanded by General Heyden consisting then of 18 Battallions of Foot and 17 Squadrons of Horse where they were joyn'd by the Garrison of Louvain commanded by Major General Churchill and the Dutch Foot incamp'd at Eygenhoven The Dutch Guards from Liere and the Garrison of Malines commanded by Brigadier Tiffin came the same day to the Camp at Ixelles and at the Orders the Quarter-Masters were commanded to be this Evening at the Retrenchment of Waterlo The Dutch Cavalry in Quarters at Brussels march'd the 28th by two in the Morning by the Grande Chaussee through the Bois de Sogne towards Braine la Leu the Infantry incamp'd near the Fauxbourg of Ivelles follow'd and then our Artillery which had been brought from Ghendt to Brussels by Water for this purpose as that of Holland had been sent from Malines to Ghendt and all was clos'd up by the Dutch Horse Canton'd about Brussels and Malines but the heavy Baggage was to be left behind till the next day The Vanguard of Horse as soon as it came into the Plain beyond the Bois de Sogne sent detachments to Genap Wavre and Nivelle to cover the March of the Army at the same time Count de Noyelles sent detachments of Foot from Waterlo to the Church of Ophain the Abbey of Bois-Seigneur-Isaac and the Village of Bas Istre towards Braine le Chasteau to cover the March for this Camp on all sides If Bouflers had been pass'd the Sambre instead of these detachments a great Body of Horse was to have been order'd towards Genap and Nivelle commanded by a General Officer but Bouflers was still on the other side and sav'd us this Care At the same time that the Prince's Troops incamp'd at Ixelles were marching through the Bois de Sogne for Braine le Leu the Troops incamp'd at Terhulpen and Gerival under General Heyden and the Dutch Horse under Count Tilly from Tombeeck march'd about between the Dyle and the Wood to this Camp and thus joyn'd altogether the 28th being incamp'd with an Elbow upon the right between the Abbey of Bois Seigneur-Isaac and the Village of Bas Istre towards Brain le Chasteau this was the Poste of the right Wing of Horse and Right of the Body of Foot the rest of the Camp went in a strait Line from the Abbey of Bois-Seigneur-Isaac upon the Right as far as the Brook of Leu upon the Left towards the Wood of Sogne and Waterlo having the Village or rather small Town of Braine la Leu before it as the Village of Ophain was before the Center and the foremention'd Abbey upon the Right all three in a Line The Abbey of Bois-Seigneur-Isaac was mark'd for the King's Quarter which consequently gave the Name to the Camp and the Prince and most of the Generals Quarter'd at Brain la Leu the Prince in his own Castle which he has here and where he was born of the Princess of Cantecroix Count de Noyelles continued in the Retrenchments of Waterlo till the 29th to see all the Baggage come up safe through the Wood which was order'd to follow the Army and then march'd from thence with the Body under his Command and took his Post in the Line as it had been assign'd to the several Regiments where all the Battallions incamp'd double as the Elector's Army did at Deinse because the distance was too great for the Foot to fill if the Company 's had incamp'd in their full depth and therefore 't was thought convenient to incamp so as that every Battallion might be divided into two and take up the ground between the Right and Left This Army at the first joyning consisted of 75 Squadrons of Horse 26 of Dragoons and 64 Battallions making in all 46490 Men. A detachment of 400 Men was sent to Nivelle under the Command of a Field Officer to keep Garrison there and secure a Post that was very necessary for the cover of our Army or from whence the Enemies could very much annoy us if they got once to be Masters of it and therefore this could not be construed an infraction of the agreement made on both sides with the Lady Abbess of Nivelle because 't was onely for the present security of the Army which would have been done by the French themselves upon such an occasion or if they gain'd an opportunity by it of attaquing our Army with more advantage As for the English Horse and Dragoons which had march'd out of Ghendt towards Alost under the command of General Auerquerque in order to come to this Camp they were order'd to march back again for their quarters to be at hand near the Electors Army whilst he had two of the Armies of France which were now about Tournay and Courtray for dangerous Neighbours for all the Brandenbourg Cavalry design'd to serve in Flanders was not yet come to Brabant But the Dutch Horse upon English pay Lloyds Dragoons and the Dutch Regiments of Montigny Turck Zuylen now Schulembourg and Noyelles march'd on towards the General Rendezvous at Bois-Seigneur-Isaac to make room for the same number being 18 Squadrons of Dutch Horse and four of Dragoons design'd to serve in Flanders under Lieutenant General Opdam which being now come into this Countrey cantoon'd on both sides of the Canal in the Quarters left by chose that had march'd into Brabant The Spanish and Bavarian Horse came up about the same time and quarter'd along the Scheld between Ghendt and Dendermond so that the Elector had all the Horse of his Army now ready to joyn him As for the Horse belonging to the Princes Army at Bois-Seigneur-Isaac it was actually incamp'd in the Line and the Magazines of Hay and Oats that were at Brussels were transported in Waggons to Waterlo where we had them at hand to subsist the Army with dry Forrage Whilst our Forces in Brabant were marching up to joyn together at this Camp His Majesty who could not let his Armies be in the Field without him arriv'd at Oranje-Polder in the Maes from England the 27th and came the same Evening to the Hague where he was Complimented by the Deputies of the States and Forreign Ministers My Lord of Pembrook His Majesty's first Ambassadour Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary for the Treaty of Peace came over at the same time but an indisposition hinder'd Sir Joseph Williamson from coming to Holland till the next
5. All places in Catalonia in the Kings possession which have been taken since the Treaty of Nimeguen in the state they were when taken 6. To the Bishop of Liege the Town and Castle of Dinant in the state they were at the taking of them 7. All the Reunions made since the Peace of Nimeguen 8. Lorrain according to the Conditions of the said Treaty Monsieur de Callieres having made the said declaration to the Mediatour in the presence of Monsieur Dyckvelt they went afterwards to the Sieur Boreels House who because of his indisposition could not come to the Mediatours as it had been agreed and the Mediatour having follow'd them thither Messieurs Dyckvelt and Boreel did signifie to him in Monsieur de Callieres presence that they had agreed that upon the Conclusion and Signing of the Peace the Most Christian King should Recognize the Prince of Orange for King of Great Britain without any Difficulty Restriction Condition or Reserve which Monsieur de Callieres confirm'd to the Mediatour in the name of his Most Christian Majesty all which was accordingly Enter'd and Sign'd by the Mediatour in his * A Signing Book kept by the Mediatour Protocol the 31th January 10th February 1697. Most people especially those who are Well-wishers to the Kings Person and Government expected that His Majesty should have been acknowledg'd by the French for King of Great Britain in the Preliminaries as a necessary step without which no General Treaty could be thought of wherein His Majesties Ambassadours should not be receiv'd by the French as Ambassadours from the King of Great Britain but the French Court would not yield to this Point because if the Treaty should break off yet the King would gain thereby the onely difficulty that was to be regulated between England and France the other difficulties being but inconsiderable and easily accommodated and therefore offer'd that it was sufficient seeing the case was so that His Majesty should be acknowledgd for King of Great Britain at the Conclusion and Signing of the Treaty His Majesty preferring the Peace and Quiet of Europe to what at the bottom was but a meer Formality Consented that the Negotiations should be manag'd this way being satisfied with the Guaranty of Sweden upon this point in the Preliminaries And notwithstanding that the French King did not acknowledge His Majesty till the Signing of the Peace yet the whole Treaty was so manag'd at Ryswick that our Ambassadours and Plenipotentiaries met with nothing that might derogate in the least from the Honour due to Ministers of that Character from the Crown of England However his Majesties Domestick Enemies had some hopes upon this account and they thought themselves in no ill Condition by it As for the Imperial Minister the Count de Caunitz he was not present at the Signing of the Preliminaries because the French allow'd no other Conditions in them for the Duke of Lorrain but those of Nimeguen which had been protested against in due Form by the last Duke of Lorrain and which neither the Emperour nor the present Duke could ever accept of Affairs being brought thus far towards a General Treaty as to have the Preliminaries Sign'd by the Mediatour no other difficulty remain'd to hinder the opening of the Congress but the agreeing upon the Place of Treaty Breda Maestricht or Nimeguen were sometimes propos'd by the French other people talk'd of Vtrecht the Imperialists were for having the Congress in Germany either at Cologne or Aix la Chappelle but the Emperour was very backward in explaining himself upon this Article his Minister still insisted at the Hague to have the Business of Lorrain put in a way of accommodation before the Place of Treaty was nam'd for though the French made no other overture in the Preliminaries for the Dutchy of Lorrain but the Treaty of Nimeguen yet France gave hopes of better Conditions for that Duke when-once it should come to a Treaty the Imperial Court would have had these Conditions explain'd in the Preliminaries but France would not consent to it These Contestations took up a great deal of time and prov'd a great obstacle to the agreeing upon a Place to Treat in In the mean while the French and the Dutch pitch'd upon a place of Treaty which I dare say is the most convenient that can be met with in Christendom for such a Business and that was His Majesties Royal Palace at Ryswick so situated that it has the advantage of two large and populous Towns just by it being not above an English Mile from the Hague and two from Delft where consequently the Ambassadors on both sides could Lodge themselves conveniently without being press'd for Scarcity of Lodging or impos'd upon in the Excessive Rates of Houses both which inconveniencies must have been the Consequence of having the Treaty in any one Town of Holland besides or Germany and were sufficiently felt in the Congress of Nimeguen Besides the French were to come from Delft to Ryswick one way and the Allies from the Hague another directly opposite so that no unlucky meeting of Coaches and wrangling for precedency could ever happen to interrupt the Negotiations This Palace is call'd the House of Newbourgh built aside of the Village of Ryswick about two Bowes shot to the West by Frederick Henry Prince of Orange His Majesties Grandfather and is a Fabrick of Modern Architecture onely a little too low consisting of three Pavillons or Piles of Buildings upon a Line joyn'd together by two Galleries all of Free Stone and of an equal Height the Front of the House looks to the Hague Northwards and the back with the Gardens towards Delft Southwards and therefore it afforded all the Accommodations that could possibly be desir'd for a Congress to Negotiate a Peace an Apartment in the Center for the Mediator and one upon the Right and another upon the Left for the two different Parties whereby no manner of Dispute could happen about the going out or coming in and such other accidents which it has been very difficult to Regulate in other Places Most of the Allies agreed immediately that a Palace so conveniently situated and having such Accommodations to prevent any differences about the Ceremonial should be the Place of Treaty and accordingly His Majesty order'd it forthwith to be Repaired and the States had it handsomly Furnish'd for such an occasion and certainly it could signifie no less than a good Omen to his Majesties Affairs that after so long and cruel a War wherein the French had done whatever lay in their power to dispute his possession of the British Throne yet at last they very willingly came to Treat of Peace in his own House Whilst these advances were making towards a General Treaty there were no less preparations in the Frontiers between France and the Allies than if it had been the very middle of the War and indeed 't is very necessary to be more cautious than usual in such a Conjuncture because the
of all between Landeghem and Ansbeck and eighty five or six Squadrons Four Battallions had been detach d under Baron Sparre since the coming back of the Army from Brabant to Audenarde three at Dendermond and in the Pays de Waes and two behind the Canal of Bruges which made the remainder 43 Battallions the Marechal of Catinat's true strength was not at first known some made him stronger than he was and others weaker which accordingly caus'd a variety of Opinions and the Elector sent Monsieur Verboom his Quarter-Master General to the King to give His Majesty an account of it and it was resolv'd in the mean time to fortifie the Bridge of Deinse at Peteghem and to have a very strong Guard there being the next Post to the Marechal of Catinat and to lay Bridges over the Canal one at Ansbeck and another lower at Dorme either to receive Reinforcements that way if Catinat came to attack the Elector or to be ready to march behind the Canal if Catinat should march towards Bruges or Newport In the midst of these Doubts the Elector had Advice that the Marechal of Catinat's Army at his coming to Zulte had but fourteen Battallions in the first Line and fewer in the second and that he was but weak in Horse and Dragoons this made His Highness very desirous to pay a Visit with his Army to the Marechal of Catinat but he had a mind first to know the Truth of the Matter for though the Camp was very strong where Catinat was posted yet it could hardly be imagin'd that he would have ventur'd so near the Elector with so inconsiderable an Army The Elector therefore sent that very Night to Newport for Major General Fagel and order'd the three Battallions of Lorne Buchan and St. Amand that were about Bruges and those of Reinard and Brandenbourg behind the Canal to come up and joyn together at Bellem to be there in a readiness to reinforce the Army upon occasion The 18th in the Afternoon His Highness went with a strong Escorte as far as the Wind-mill of Osselghem from whence he might discover the whole Line of Catinat's Army and in the Evening Major General Fagel came to the Camp The 19th at Night the Elector had advice that the French had laid Bridges over the Lys near Zulte with a Design to Forrage the next day about Wacken and the Mandel on this side of the River wherefore His Highness commanded that a strong Detachment of Horse Foot and Dragoons should immediately be sent that very Night with Cannon to disturb this Forrage and accordingly 8000 Horse Foot and Dragoons with eight Pieces of Cannon were order'd for this Command and stood paraded at the Head of the Camp till Ten or Eleven of the Clock the next Morning to hear of the Enemies passing of the Lys but the Marechal of Catinat having advice of our Preparations to attack his Forragers order'd the Bridges over the Lys to be taken up again and laid this Design aside of which the Elector being inform'd this great Detachment was countermanded Major General Fagel went back the over-night to Newport and the five Regiments of Foot at Bellem were sent again to their former Posts The 20th a great Detachment of 1500 Horse was commanded away towards Bruges for a feint to cover the Design which the Elector seem'd to have still of marching up to the Marechal of Catinat for at the same time he order'd Bridges to be laid over the Lys between Deinse and Bachtem and the 21th the Brigades of Ransaw and Holstein-Norbourg were order'd to come and incamp close upon the Elector's Right between Nevel and Landeghem whereas before they were posted near the Canal of Bruges between Landeghem and Ansbeck But on the 22th at night the Marechal of Catinat march'd off privately with his Army from Zulte to get back towards the Lines and incamp'd with his Right near Courtray and his Left towards Harlebeck it was generally suppos'd then that these Preparations of the Elector's oblig'd Catinat to withdraw so suddenly and with so much Secrecy into the Lines But 't is more probable that this Retreat of Catinat's was upon Montrevel's going with the Body under his command to post himself near Grammont upon the Dender where his Troops were order'd to cover the Convoys that come by Water from Tournay to Pottes and Canaffe and thence by Land to Villeroy's Army and the Marechal of Catinat could not pretend to keep in this Camp of Zulte without that Re-inforcement which Montrevel commanded Thus I shall leave the Army in Flanders to go back to His Majesty's Camp near Brussels and speak of the Transactions that happen'd there of which some were of great Importance and cannot well be omitted At His Majesty's first coming to this Camp to cover Brussels the Army had abundance of Forrage of which there was a great Plenty all about it and most laid in Forrage at the first coming to this Ground for a Fortnight at least without going far for it but this being the only Camp the main of the Army had for all the rest of the Campagne and Villeroy and Bouslers being Masters of all the Country about Alost and between the Scheld and the Canal it is no wonder if there was at last a very great Scarceness of Forrage hereabouts The first General Forrage which the Army made was not till the 20th being about Grimberg and the outside of the Canal to get as much as possibly we could all before us about Asch Zellich Wemmel and Grimberg which was now reckon'd but as so much taken from the French But I shall say no more of these Affairs which make the ordinary and daily Transactions of Armies to speak of things of more moment and which had a nearer Relation to the Happy Conclusion of this Campagne in Peace The 22th Pensionary Heinsius of Holland who had lately been nam'd by the States General for their third Plenipotentiary at the Conferences for the Treaty of Peace at Ryswick in the room of the Sieur Boreel lately deceas'd came to the Camp to wait upon His Majesty and this Voyage which could not be but about Affairs of Consequence occasiond abundance of Discourses some tending to War and others to Peace For Business went on a little slowly at this time in the Congress at Ryswick some time had been taken up at first in adjusting of the Ceremonial which had been agreed upon at last and not long since wherein it was concluded that in relation to Visits and paying of the first Visit and the receiving of it the Plenipotentiary Ambassadours of Crown'd Heads that had come first to the Hague or Delft for the Congress of Ryswick should pay the first Visit to the last Comers without inferring from thence any Consequence about Precedency or derogating in any manner from any one's Privileges or Pretentions about it and according to this Regulation Count de Caunitz and Count Straatman that had come to the Hague before the French
to retire forthwith out of the King of Spain's Territories in that Country and cease all farther Acts of Hostility against His Catholick Majesty's Subjects or any others belonging to the Powers which had Sign'd the Peace on the 10th instant whereupon an Order was publish'd by Beat of Drum in the Armies on both sides to publish the Signing of the Peace at Ryswick and prevent all manner of Hostilities hereafter upon pain of Death and all Parties were immediately after drawn off and commanded back to their respective Regiments or Garrisons and the Countrey left free and open for an intercourse and Commerce between the Subjects on both sides in pursuance of an order to this purpose proclaim'd in all the Towns of the French and Spanish Frontiers On the 20th the Three French Armies commanded by the Marechals of Villeroy Bouslers and Catinat march'd out of the King of Spains Territories to retire into the Pays Conquis in pursuance of the Orders they receiv'd from the King their Master yet so as to subsist in the Country which they were to restore by the Treaty and spare their own The Marechal of Villeroy came to incamp just without the Scheld in the Chatellenie of At h to Forrage the Countrey between this place and Mons and Tournay the Marechal of Bouslers left Soignies to pass the Sambre and subsist between Beaumont and Charleroy and the Marechal of Catinat repass'd the Lys to come into the Chatellenie of Courtray with the best part of his Army to demolish the Line this place and Chatellenie being to be restor'd to the King of Spain by vertue of the Treaty and the rest march'd into the Lines of Ipres The Marquis de Harcourt had been commanded back just before the Signing of the Treaty towards the Moselle and the Rhine to reinforce the Marechal of Choiseul for the Germans had at last past the Rhine and the main of the Army commanded by Prince Lewis of Baden was come to incamp at Creutznach between the Electorate of Treves and the Palatinate of the Rhine whilst the rest besieg'd the Town and Castle of Eberenbourg belonging to the Elector of Treves which the French had possess'd themselves of since the beginning of the War Prince Lewis of Baden was carrying on of this Siege at the time of the Signing of the Treaty and the Marechal of Choiseul was not in a condition to attempt the relief of it which oblig'd the Marquis de Harcourt to march back towards Montroyal and endeavour jointly with the Marechal of Choiseul to raise that Siege for which purpose immediately after the retiring of the French Armies out of the Spanish Dominions in the Low Countrey 's great detachments especially of Horse were sent to follow the Marquis of Harcourt and no less than 150 Squadrons were then commanded that way which was done not onely in order to force the Germans to raise the Siege they were ingag'd in but likewise to send them to subsist between the Meuse and the Rhine where the Peace was not yet concluded and spare their own Frontier by that means but Harcourt could not come time enough to joyn the Marechal of Choiseul and relieve Eberenbourg nor could the besieged hold out long enough to prevent the loss of the place by the Cessation of Arms agreed upon at Ryswick between France and the Empire for they were forc'd to capitulate but a day or two before the order came to cease all acts of Hostility on both sides upon the Six Weeks Truce made at Ryswick between the Germans and the French This shews very plainly that if the Germans had been as early in their Motions this Campagne as the Allies were in the Low Countreys they would have made the French pay dear for the Siege of At h or else would have prevented it and if they had not past the Rhine so late not onely Eberenbourg but Kirne must have fallen into their hands by which means they could have establish'd themselves good Winter Quarters on this side of the Rhine in the Electorate of Treves and the Palatinate which would have been of vast consequence towards a vigorous prosecution of the War in case the Congress at Ryswick had broke up without concluding of a Treaty or the Imperialists would at least have had some reason to back the pretensions they insisted upon so much in these Negotiations which have considerably deferr'd the General Peace But the slowness of the Germans where their Operations depend from so many Princes and States of different Interests and having often private grudges among themselves and no common and General Magazines for an early taking of the Field will always be an obstacle to any thing that is Brisk and Vigorous in a Confederate War and the French for this reason will ever be before-hand with them in the Field which is of very great moment in the operations of a Campagne and we have seen but the last Summer the Marechal of Choiseul subsist a considerable while between the Rhine and the Neckre with an Army that did not dare shew its face when the Germans had once taken the Field After the taking of Eberenbourg by Prince Lewis of Baden the Marquis de Harcourt who was marching that way to reinforce the Marechal of Choiseul turn'd with his Army into the Countrey of Liege beyond the Meuse which being a dependance of the Empire the French thought they could very justly put their Troops to subsist there and ease their own Frontier whilst the Peace was not Sign'd as yet between France and Germany and accordingly they crouded as many Troops especially Horse and Dragoons as they could thereabouts and likewise in the Dutchy of Luxembourg which was to be restor'd to Spain by the Treaty As soon as the French had retreated with their Armies out of the King of Spain's Territories in Flanders to get into their own Conquests and that a Cessation of all manner of Hostilities was thereupon publish'd and a Free Trade and intercourse between the Frontiers on both sides proclaim'd the Elector of Bavaria left Brussells and went to Loo to see His Majesty and partake of the Divertisements which the Countrey thereabouts afforded in this Hunting Season and at the same time to conferr with the King about the marching of the Allies Troops out of the Spanish Netherlands and retaining a certain number of the States Forces to keep Garrison in the Frontier Towns of that Countrey as they were to be after the Ratification and Execution of the Treaty of Rvswick as Luxembourg Namur Charleroy Mons At h Audenarde Courtray and Newport which the Spaniards were too weak to Garrison themselves Four and Twenty Battallions of the States Forces were agreed upon for this Service which with the Seven Battallions of Bavarians and the few Troops of Spaniards Walloons and Italians in this Country were thought sufficient to Garrison the Frontier Towns in time of Peace In the mean while till the Ratification of the Treaty the Armies on our side continued
Campagnes and Voyages Battles and Sieges with the Olive-branch of a Happy and Honourable Peace in his Hand and the Lord-Mayor and Citizens of London had made it their particular Request to receive His Majesty publickly to express thereby their Affection Duty and Gratitude upon such an Occasion in a manner suitable to the Wealth and Grandeur of that Famous and Renowned City in the Particulars of which Magnificent Reception 't is not my Business to enter at present as belonging properly to the History of England I shall only add that His Majesty receiv'd afterwards Congratulatory Addresses from all Parts of his Dominions for his safe Return after having Happily terminated a most Obstinate and Expensive War carried on for so many Years by our late Enemies chiefly and on purpose to bereave him of a Throne he fills with so much Fame and Renown and to deprive us of his most Just and Equitable Government and of what has a necessary Dependence upon it all that can be Dear and Precious to a People our Religion Laws Priviledges and Liberties These are Exploits which require the utmost Gratitude of all True Patriots and Lovers of their Religion and Country which can do no less than express it self in hearty Prayers to the King of Kings that he would Bless His Majesty with a Long Happy and Prosperous Reign over us as a Just Reward of so many Glorious Atchievements for our Safety and Preservation All this while the French were not yet ready to Evacuate any of the Places they were oblig'd to restore to the King of Spain by the late Treaty of Ryswick being first by vertue of it to carry away all their own Artillery Ammunitions Provisions and Stores and leave behind them the Artillery and quantity of Stores they found in these places at the taking of them 'T is true the Evacuating of these Towns requir'd some time upon this account but 't is very probable that the French delay'd the fulfilling of this Article purposely till they saw what Success the Treaty they had Sign'd on the 22th of October with the Empire should have at Ratisbone where 't was likely to meet with a considerable Opposition from the Protestant Princes in the Ratification for if the Treaty instead of being Ratified there had been declar'd Illegal and Derogatory to the Treaty of Westphalia and to the Articles provided therein in behalf of the Protestant Religion it would not have been very convenient for the French King's Affairs that Luxembourg and other places to be restor'd by the Treaty of the Tenth of September should be in the King of Spain's hands The Plenipotentiaries of the Protestant Princes having refus'd to Sign the Treaty between the Empire and France on the 22th of October had still some Conferences with those of France to find a temper for the fourth Article so as they might Sign joyntly with the rest of the Empire but they were all to no purpose England and Holland had bor'n the Burden of a long and very Expensive War and their Trade and Commerce the very Springs of all their Wealth had been considerably impaird and therefore were not able to meddle at present in that Affair and vindicate the Interest of the Protestant Religion in Germany against these Incroachments upon it so contrary to the Westphalian Treaty so that the Protestant Princes wanting Power for this Reason to maintain and carry on their Opposition against the Treaty lately concluded between the Empire and France the Ratification was Sign'd in the Imperial Dyet at Ratisbone without any Alteration to the Fourth Article by which the Popish Religion is to continue in several Towns and Places of the Palatinate according as it was Establish'd by the French King whilst in his Possession where before the War were none but Protestant Churches to the great Oppression of the Protestants and the Violation of the Treaty of Munster in their behalf and France has gain'd this Advantage over the Empire as to Sow the Seeds of such Divisions in this Treaty between the Protestant and Popish States as may in time be very Fatal to Germany and increase very much the Greatness and Power of the Most-Christian Kings which for several Years last past has been found so Prejudicial to the Peace and Quiet of Europe The Treaty between France and the Empire being Ratified within the Term prefix'd in the Articles it was thereupon exchang'd at Ryswick the beginning of December and the French having secur'd this Point restor'd immediately after the Towns of Mons At h Charleroy and Courtray in the Low-Countries and Barcelona Gironne Roses and Belver in Catalonia to the Spaniards but they did not quit the Dutchy of Luxembourg till the Month of January following when la Roche and Arlon little Fortresses upon the Frontier towards the Pays de Liege were deliver'd up to Spanish Garrisons on the 17th and the 19th they took Possession of the Town of Luxembourg whereof the Count d'Autel General of the Palatine Troops had been appointed Governour by the King of Spain through the Queen's Interest being the Elector Palatine's Sister By this time all or most of His Majesty's National Forces Horse and Foot had left Flanders and were pass'd the Seas and got over into England Scotland or Ireland except six Scots Regiments of Foot which the States have taken into their Pay and Service being those of Lauder Murray Walter Collier Ferguson Strathnaver and George Hamilton and the three French Battallions of Refugies of la Meloniere Belcastel and Marton My Lord Gallway's Horse and the Marquis de Mirmont's Dragoons which are still kept in His Majesty's Service in Flanders And the French were then working to demolish the Works on the Rhine and elsewhere which are to be Raz'd by the Treaty and to evacuate those which they are to restore to the Empire but as yet have not perform'd it however we need not doubt but they will and News are daily expected of their having begun with Philipsbourg and deliver'd it up to an Imperial Garrison but these Affairs do not come directly within the compass of this History and therefore I need not speak any more about them lest that should swell this Account to too great a Bulk which is long enough already and longer than I would have made it if it could have been done conveniently without omitting some Material Passages I have no more to add but some few short Reflexions upon the Peace lately agreed upon at Ryswick which brings this History to a most happy Period and to it s wish'd for Conclusion the Negociations whereof have been carried on with more Calmness Tranquility and Expedition than any General Treaty we can read of before notwithstanding several Occasions which have offer'd themselves seasonably enough to take hold of them thereby to disturb or prolong this great Work We have seen the King of Sweden Charles the Eleventh who by his Mediation had so wisely manag'd Affairs as to bring the Plenipotentiaries of the
several Princes and States ingag'd in the War together in order to open their Conferences * April 5. 1697. dye as 't were upon the very Threshold of the Congress and yet the Treaty not delay'd at all by so Fatal an Accident The Regency under his Successor Charles the Twelfth who was then a Minor carried on the Mediation without any Intermission by dispatching new full Powers to the Swedish Minister at the Hague and both the Allies and France receiv'd it without any Wrangling or Hesitation which as on the one hand it redounded very much to the Glory and Honour of the Crown of Sweden so on the other it demonstrated plainly the Sincerity of the most Powerful Parties concern'd in the War and that they desir'd in earnest the Peace and Quiet of their own Dominions and the General Repose of Christendom We have seen France gain considerable Advantages over the Allies both in Land and Sea Expeditions the last Campagne and yet not stand upon much higher Terms for it in the Treaty unless it was the keeping of Strasbourg and the giving an Equivalent for it which if duly consider'd was as much for the Advantage of the Empire as Strasbourg was for that of France for Strasbourg an Imperial Town would have made but a very weak Barriere to the Empire but as it is now that the Empire has the Fort of Kehl opposite to Strasbourg and all the Forts and strong Places on the right side of the Rhine it seems to be in a better Condition to hinder the French from passing of the Rhine than in the State 't was left by the Treaty of Nimeguen And indeed 't was well for the Peace and Quiet of Europe that those met with most Success the last Campagne who wanted Peace the most else a General Peace could not have been negociated with so much Expedition and so few Difficulties to overcome And for this reason we find no Losers in the Treaty but it seems at once Advantagious for all the Parties concern'd Spain has reduc'd the French by its strict Union with the Allies more than by any Efforts of its own within the Bounds and Limits of the precedent Treaty notwithstanding that the French were Masters of the whole Dutchy of Luxembourg before the War whereas before in all the precedent Treaties since that of Vervins the Spaniards were always giving up considerable Towns and Provinces to France and especially in those of the Pyrenees Aix la Chappelle and Nimeguen The Empire has a much stronger Frontier by this Treaty than by that of Nimeguen considering the better Conditions given at present to the Duke of Lorraine and that France has quitted all the Country Towns and strong places it had on the other side of the Rhine before by vertue of the Westphalian Treaty and that of Nimeguen and although the Empire has quitted Strasbourg and deliver'd it up to the French in lieu of Brisach Fribourg and all that France had beyond the Rhine yet having the Fort of Kehl by vertue of this Treaty on the opposite side of the Rhine to Strasbourg it will always be a Curb and a Bridle upon the French and will hinder them from Subsisting beyond the Rhine with an Army as long as this Place is in the hands of an Imperial Garrison which Strasbourg of it self could not have done if it had been restor'd to the Empire in the Condition wherein 't was taken by the French The States General have plainly gain'd their Cause about the Electorate of Cologne which was one of the Articles upon which France declar'd War against Holland and by regaining with it the Dutchy of Luxembourg to Spain in the late Treaty they have remov'd the French altogether from their Frontier especially from the Rhine whereby they made that Fatal Irruption upon them in the Year 1672. They have likewise Parried a Mortal Stroke to their Religion Commerce and Liberties by the Happy and Miraculous Turn of Affairs in England just at the beginning of the Wars which in a great Measure was due to their Assistance and their Liberty laying upon the same Stake with ours and the Protestant Interest all over Christendom but especially in the United Provinces being imbark'd upon the same Bottom with the Fate of the Church of England we may say that they have been together with us deliver'd from Popery and Slavery As for the Advantages of France in this Peace notwithstanding that it has lost all Footing in Italy by the Separate Treaty with Savoy by giving back Pignerol after a Possession of above Sixty Years to obtain it that Lorrain is restor'd upon much better Terms for that Duke and the Empire than those agreed upon in the Treaty of Nimeguen and notwithstanding the great and prodigious Expences to which the French King has been oblig'd to carry on so long and tedious a War which in truth he began himself against so many Confederates and yet that he is still reduc'd to the Bounds and Limits of the precedent Peace which for this reason looks like so much Blood shed and Treasure spent to no purpose that Cazal has been taken by the Allies Lorrain and Dinant restor'd both which were in his Possession even at the Treaty of Nimeguen and Luxembourg given back to the Spaniards all which Places were in the hands of the French before the beginning of the War and that he has been oblig'd to evacnate all the Towns and Fortresses he has taken since at the Expence of so much Blood and Money and all the Country he was Master of beyond the Rhine in Exchange for Strasbourg Yet it must be own'd that the French King has manag'd the whole War with abundance of Art and Wisdom that he has gain'd very great Advantages over the Allies that he has brought them to make a Peace upon his own Terms and extricated himself very gloriously thereby out of all the Difficulties which a Powerful Confederacy had brought his Kingdom to not so much by the Vigour of their Efforts as by the Necessity of his own Affairs the Consequence of a Burdensome and Expensive War carried on by himself against so many Potent Enemies which had reduc'd most of the Provinces of France to an Universal Poverty and Misery and at last he remains Master of Strasbourg in Alsatia Longwy and Saar-Louis in Lorrain much more to his Advantage than the Equivalents he gives being thereby in a Condition to hinder Lorrain though restor'd from being troublesome to France and still to keep the Rhine and the Empire in awe and has Power enough left by it to be still formidable to the rest of Europe and to disturb the Peace and Quiet of Christendom as soon as his Coffers are replenish'd unless his Adherence to the Publick Faith and Sacredness of Treaties constrains him more than the Apprehension of the Power and Greatness of any of his Neighbours Yet notwithstanding these Advantages on both sides in the Treaty of Ryswick it is certain that both France
Convoy and as if all the Ministers concern'd in this great Congress had onely waired for His Majesty's coming to begin their Conferences the first was held at Ryswick the 29th being the I hursday following the Emperour having at last consented to Treat in this place without insisting any longer to have the Business of Lorrain agreed upon in the Preliminaries and the Palace of Ryswick made up very Commodious for the Congress There was before but one Gate upon the Center of the Court towards the Hague which was appointed for the Mediatour leading up to the great Stairs of the House in the middle Pavillon or Apartment but to prevent disputes in the going out or coming in there was a Gate made at each end That at the West being appointed for the French and that the East for the Allies which is the Right according to the facing of the Palace North towards the Hague The States appointed a Guard to be kept here upon Congress days with an equal number of Sentinels upon each Apartment where the Allies were receiv'd and introduc'd in this first Congress by a Gentleman Commission'd thereto from the States and the French by another having cast Lots for their Post to prevent any manner of distinction in this matter The Conferences were contriv'd by the Mediatour and not Personally there being large Antichambers on each side of the Mediatours Room where the Plenipotentiaries came the Allies on one side and the French on the other and the Mediatour communicated the Writings and Memorials from one side to another In this first Conference the Ambassadours produc'd their full Powers which were reciprocally communicated and authentick Copies deliver'd The full Powers of the French directed them to Treat with the Emperor and Empire the King of Spain and the States of Holland and their Allies which caus'd some Contestation because the Elector of Brandenbourg's Ministers alledg'd that the Elector their Master had declar'd War personally against the French King and therefore that it was necessary the French Plenipotentiaries should be directed in their full Powers to Treat with his Electoral Highness by Name The English Plenipotentiaries made no Objection against it because the King not being to be acknowledg'd by the French till the Concluding and Signing of the Peace it was not necessary they should produce full Powers to Treat with England till then which they accordingly did before the Ratification This Affair took up some of the first Conferences and afterwards the Congress proceeded to regulate the Ceremonial which I shall not meddle withall resolving to say nothing more of those Negociations than what relates to the Operations of War or the Forwarding of the Peace The King having assisted at the Assembly of the States General and Council of State at the Hague to conferr upon the present State of May. Affairs intended to have gone the first of May for Loo but His Majesty having met with an Indisposition the over-night was oblig'd to deferr it and to be Let-blood the next Morning which had so good an effect that the King rid that very Evening in his Coach about the Voorhout the third His Majesty being recover'd set out from the Hague for Loo and came this day to Zuylenstein beyond Vtrecht it prov'd an extraordinary hot day and for about nine or ten days together about this time the Weather was as hot and settled as it has been the whole Summer this made the King hot and restless in the Night but was again pretry well the next Day however His Majesty thought it convenient to tarry some Days in this place where the Herons afforded very good Divertisement in this set of fine Weather But in the mean time the French began to be very busie upon our Frontier and were like to allow His Majesty but a short stay here the French and Swiss Guards had been come to Tournay ever since the 22d of April where the Marechal of Bouflers being Colonel of the French Guards came from Lisle to re-view them all the other Troops were come by the beginning of May to their general Rendezvous upon the Sambre Tournay and about Courtray and wanted only the Presence of the Marechals of Villeroy and Catinat who were expected at this time from Paris with the last Resolutions of the Court concerning the Operations of the Campagne to march and take the Field as for the Marechal of Bouflers his Government of the French Flanders kept him upon the Frontier We have shew'd above that our being in the Field before the French quite broke their Measures which as we have given very good Presumptions for were laid against Namur else why must our being first in the Field bring the Marechal of Catinat from his Department assign'd upon the Moselle and the Lower Rhine clear to the Lys as for the Germans they were still in their Winter-Quarters and not likely yet to take the Field and therefore there was as good a Prospect on that side for the Marechal of Catinat as when the French King appointed him to command an Army there But the Marechal of Catinat was thought necessary for Flanders whatever reason there was for this Change though France had onely At h and Audenarde left open to feel the Efforts of its Arms and indeed they have been so most part of the War since the French have broke in upon the Barriere given to the Spanish Territories on this side in the Treaty of Nimeguen by the taking of Mons and Charleroy their having secur'd and fortify'd Courtray and made a Line from thence to the Scheld which has brought these two Towns especially the first in the very Line of their Conquests for this reason we have been forc'd to leave them expos'd almost every Campagne without being able to cover them and yet the French themselves have seemd to neglect them having incamp'd and march'd backward and forwards about At h several Campagnes for in Truth the taking of At h or Audenaerde could not extend their Contributions an inch farther which since the taking of Mons they have rais'd every where between the Scheld and the Canal of Brussels and by their having Courtray all the Countrey between the Scheld and the Lys and Ghend and Bruges has been brought under Contribution and therefore Audenarde could not give them a farther advantage upon this account Neither could At h and Audenarde do much mischief in raising Contribution upon them because onely a small and inconsiderable dependance of Tournay Conde and Mons remain'd expos'd on this side of the Scheld and the Haisne and all the rest was cover'd by these two Rivers as for the Countrey between the Scheld and the Lys it was cover'd with a strong Line from the one River to the other From whence it appears that in relation to Contributions and advantage of the Countrey neither At h nor Audenarde could do them much harm whilst in the Hands of the Allies nor much good by their taking of them However the French
following yet the King was resolv'd not to come to the Hague till the Imperialists and the French had made an end of the Treaty depending between them and therefore still kept at Loo and Diercn where Prince Vaudemont remain'd after the Elector's going back for Brussels and His Majesty named here his Excellency the Earl of Portland for his Ambassadour Extraordinary to go to the Court of France The 22th of October being the Term allow'd in the Separate Article of the 10th of September the Peace was Sign'd between the Empire and France according to the Project given by the French Ambassadours and the Memorial of the 21th of August and by it the French quitted to the Empire all Brisgow and Alsatia on the Right side of the Rhine with the Towns of Brisach and Fribourg the Fort of Kehl opposite to Strasbourg and the Town of Philipsbourg all on the same side of the Rhine together with the Territories belonging to the Electorate of Treves and the Palatinate on the left side of the Rhine and oblig'd themselves farther to demolish all the Forts they had upon that River on the right side of it and moreover Montroyal and Traerbach upon the Moselle after which they were to be restor'd to the Elector of Treves together with the Town of Treves in the Condition it was then They likewise ingag'd to restore the Dutchy of Lorrain and Barre in the Condition wherein Charles the Fourth enjoy'd it in the Year 1670 only they reserv'd to themselves the Town of Saar-Lonis with a district of half a League about it and the Town and Provostship of Longwy upon the Frontier of Lorrain towards Luxembourg for which Towns the French promis'd to give an Equivalent of the same Extent and Value in one of the three Bishopricks as it should be agreed upon between Commissioners appointed by the French King and the Duke of Lorrain for that purpose and farther to give back the Dutchy of Deux-Ponts to the King of Sweden the County of Mont-belliard to the Dukes of Wirtemberg with all the Mannors and Feudships belonging to the said Family in the Dutchy of Burgundy and Franche-Comte the Towns and Bishopricks of Wormes and Spire the first to the Grand Master of the Teutonick Order and the latter to the Archbishop of Treves And the Elector Palatine re-entering in the Possession of all his Territories and Revenues on both sides of the Rhine by this Treaty according as they were restor'd at the Peace of Westphalia the Emperour and the French King were nam'd to be Arbitrators of the Dutchess of Orleans's Pretensions in which if they did not agree that then the Pope should decide that Matter according to the Laws and Constitutions of the Empire and in the mean while that the Elector Palatine should allow the Dutchess of Orleans a Yearly Pension of 200000 Livers French Money Lastly The French promis'd to deliver up the Town and Castle of Dinant to the Elector of Cologne as Bishop of Liege in the Condition they were at the taking of them before the Treaty of Nimeguen And in Consideration of the Equivalent given by the French the Emperour and Empire consented that Strasbourg should be dismembred for ever from the Empire and annex'd to the Most Christian King's Dominions with a Sovereign Property and Jurisdiction over it that the Bridge of Philipsbourg should be broke down and the Fort which covers it on the left side of the Rhine demolish'd that the new Town of Brisach on the same side of the Rhine should be dismantled and that hereafter the Rhine should be the common Barriere in Alsatia between France and the Empire so that France should have no Forts upon the Rhine nor right side of it nor the Empire upon the left And as a common Article that this Treaty should be Ratified by the Empire and the French King within six Weeks after But there was a Clause in the Fourth Article whereby the Roman Catholick Religion was to be maintain'd in all the Places restor'd by the French in the Condition and State it was at the Signing of it which created very hot Contestations between the Protestant and Bopish Deputies of the Empire as being expresly contrary to the Treaty of Westphalia this made all the Protestant Deputies and the Mediatour himself as Deputy for the Dutchy of Deux-Ronts in the King of Sweden's Name refuse to Sign it as Derogatory to the Treaty of Westphalia except the Deputies of the House of Wirtemberg and of the Imperial Town of Franckfort There was not the least mention made of this Clause in the General Project given in by the French nor in their new Memorial of the 20th of August but England and Holland having Sign'd before without the Empire or rather the 10th of September seeming to have been laps'd on purpose to bring this about the French and Popish Members of the Empire took hold of such an Opportunity to gain Ground upon the Protestants in Germany The Treaty being Sign'd between the Empire and France and consequently a General Peace establish'd among all the Parties concern'd the King came then to the Hague on the 29th attended by the Prince of Vaudemont where his Princess came to wait upon His Majesty to Complement him upon the Peace and take her leave before her parting for Italy with the Prince her Husband who were lodg'd together in the Oud Hoff one of the King's Palaces at the Hague All the Plenipotentiary Ambassadours and Forreign Ministers went to Complement the King upon his Arrival and the Conclusion of the Peace and among them the three French Plenipotentiaries came there the next day in a Body by the French King's order and had an Audience in Form as his Ambassadours Extraordinary to make the first Complement to His Majesty The Fourth of November being the King's Birth day was kept at the Hague with a great deal of Solemnity the Court was throng'd Nov. with Forreign Ministers upon this occasion and the French Plenipotentiaries especially made their Complement to His Majesty upon his Birth-day and in the Evening a Magnificent Ball was given by the Prince and Princess of Vaudemont at the Oud Hoff. After this the King waited only for a fair Wind to bring him over to England and went some few days after to Oranje-Polder to imbark but the Wind coming about contrary His Majesty went back to the Hague At last the Wind coming fair the King imbark'd at Oranje Polder the 13th in the Morning and happily arriv'd at Margate on Sunday the 14th of November between Ten and Eleven in the Morning and went to lay that Night at Canterbury The 15th His Majesty came to Greenwich in order to make his Publick Entry the next day in the City of London where His Majesty was then receiv'd with all the Solemnity and Magnificence that Loyalty and Affection accompanied with an Universal Joy could be capable of to see His Majesty return Safe to his Kingdom after so many Fatigues and Dangers so many