of Spain's refusing immediately to satisfy her new Pretensions Lewis XIV lays Siege to Luxemburgh and in less then a Month makes him Master of that important Fortress the Key of all Germany After she had thus worry'd all Europe she bethought her self of citeing the Princes oâ— the Empire before Soveraign Courts and Tribunals erected at Mets and Brisac where French Commissioners being both Judges and Parties pronounc'd Sentences of Condemnation by vertue of certain Parchments gnaw'd by the Rats and soyl'd with Dust and Smoak to the end they might look old and consequently the more Authentick Which Writings being drawn by a Famous Advocate of Paris contain'd Claims and Pretensions of France to several States Signiories and Counties by vertue of Reunions and Dependencies of Lands which had been granted by the Treaties of Munster and Nimeguen But 't is to be observ'd that these Claims were so much the more Imaginary and Chimerical because it had been agreed by the Articles of the Treaties That France should renounce 'em Yet all those Renunciations were not able to put a stop to her She had always one Code or Digest at hand apart by themselves and when she had a fancy to despoil any Prince of his Territories or to seize upon any Lands that lay convenient for her she never fail'd of a Pretence Her Laws were like a Saddle for all Horses and she gave 'em what Interpretation she pleas'd So that 't is no wonder to see her Commenting upon all the Articles of the Treaties and wresting the Sense to her own Advantage Two Months after the taking of Luxemburgh France perceiving that that New Conquest had manifestly discover'd her Ambition and set the Low Countries and all Germany a Murmuring and very near incens'd 'em to a new War and disappoint her Designs which were still to be gaining at a cheap rate under the shadow of Peace bethought her self of one of the neatest knacks of Policy that ever she was guilty of She propos'd to the Emperor to Spain and the States General of the United Provinces a Truce of twenty Years and in regard her Armies were still marching at the same time that she makes her Demands that she may be able to make 'em good she order'd her Embassadors to let those Potentates understand That if they refus'd to consent to the advantagious Offers of a Truce to secure the Repose and Tranquility of Christendom she was resolv'd to declare open War against ' em Who would have thought but that France had then bin full of Sincerity and good Will To hear the Language of her Embassadors and Plenipotentiaries a Man would have sworn That the Truce would infallibly have prov'd more sacred and inviolable then the three preceding Treaties The Hollanders were the first that fell into the Snare in hopes to have enjoy'd a solid and durable Peace a Lure which France has all along dextrously made use of when ever she had a design to amuse the King of Spain who seeing himself the continual mark of that Ambitious Crown was willing to have secur'd his poor Countries from the Ravages to which they were expos'd and to deliver 'em from the Mischiefs they had suffer'd for almost thirty Years together And therefore for these Reasons they consented to a Truce for 20 Years The Emperor who was already engag'd in a War with the Ottoman Port whose prodigious Numbers made all Germany tremble found himself in a kind of Necessity to temporize with France for fear of drawing that powerful and dangerous Enemy upon his Shoulders and so submitted to the Truce after the Example of Holland and Spain And thus you see how the most Christian King obtain'd his Ends. For by this Treaty he secur'd his Conquests lull'd the Hollanders asleep and amus'd the Emperor and Princes of the Empire All these Potentates being so credulous as to fall into the Snare maugre the Experience they had so many times already had of his Infidelity What does Lewis the Great do after this He prepares to bring to an absolute Conclusion the Grand Work which his Ambition had set on foot and which he had bin labouring to bring about for above forty Years together I mean the Universal Monarchy To which purpose there was no Precaution which that Prince did not take He ally'd himself to the Ottoman Port he dispatch'd away Marshal d' Humiers to the Court of England and engages King James to side with him He purchases the Friendship of Poland and the Czars of Muscovy he proposes Offers to the Northern Crowns and the Princes of Italy he endeavours to gain the three Ecclesiastical Electors and to appoint Coadjutors that were devoted to his Interests He does all he can to carry Fustenburgh's Election he quarrels with the Court of Rome he revokes the Edict of Nants drives the Reformed out of his Kingdom makes strict Alliances with the King of Siam to ruin the Hollanders's Trade and bargains with the Switzers what he shall give 'em to sit still and look on We might here give a particular Accounâ— of the great Preparations of France to sprinâ— the Mines that were to make her Mistress oâ— all the strong Holds of Europe She reckon'd upon the Conquest of the Remainder of the Low Countries and Holland as a certain and infallible thing King James had given him a Promise of it and that Prince's word was Irrevocable Germany being at the same time attack'd by all the Forces of France and Turky must have sunk under the Burthen and have become the Prey of potent Enemies And at the same time likewise all the Dominions of the King of Spain were just ready to change their Master and to see themselves subdu'd under the French Monarchy which was to have no other Limits then those of all Europe The most Christian King had so surely built upon these Foundations and had taken such true Measures that a Man might have justly said That nothing could have stopp'd him But then of a sudden happens the Blow which could only do the Business a Blow the most fatal and deadly that ever happen'd to France and which render'd abortive all her Designs in an instant ranverses that Colossus of Pride and Ambition that had bin Erected upon the Ruins of so many poor States and Soveraignties at the expence of Treaties broken and which consisted only in the hopes of Invading the rest that lay fit for Convenience I mean the Revolution of England the Prince of Orange his vow'd Enemy is made King of Great Britain and made it appear That only England was able to deliver Europe from the oppression of the French Crown And now most Serene Princes you are within 〈◊〉 very little of reducing France within the Bounds of the Pyrenean Peace if your Union subsists but two Campaigns longer Therefore whatever Advantages France proposes â—ow soft and obliging so ever her Caresses may be reject 'em all Let the Experience of what is past instruct ye to avoid at present what has
But â—f the Treasures of this Monarch were more â—mmense his Ambition was also proportionâ—ble and if they have bin so far from being sufficient to satisfie it that he has bin also fain â—o sacrifize the Estates of the Church and â—he Spoils of the Altars after he has laid Imâ—osts upon all things else imaginable he must â—e forc'd at length to lay a swinging Tex upon Urine as formerly Vespasian did An unfortunate Gamester after he has lost all endeavours to recover himself by all the ways he can imagin and managing the Cards or the Dice by himself in his own Hand beâ—hinks himself at length of playing soul Thus the King of France having ruin'd himself his People and his Kingdoms by imprudently engaging himself in a burthensoâ— War and which having been prosperous aâ— the beginning has prov'd fatal to him in thâ— end endeavours to get himself out of thâ— Bryars as well as he can To which purpose he offers Peace to the Princes of the Confederacy and sets all Springs at work to breaâ— the Union He makes 'em Proposals ambiguous and full of Delusion what he offer to day he revokes to morrow He order Cardinal Fourbin to tell the Court of Rome That he is ready to lay down Arms and tâ— enter into a Negotiation with the Confederate Princes but first there must be a settlement for King James agreed upon To the Northern Crowns his Embassadorâ— talk another sort of Language and tell ' emâ— That as to the Affairs of England in regard that Royal Majesty appears to be wounded in the Person of King James he makes no question but the King of Sweden and the Emperor will take it upon 'em to propose some Expedient to determin that Difference As to the Court of Vienna 't is about ten Months since that he made Proposals of Peace to his Imperial Majesty quite different from those that appear'd in his Manifesto publish'd upon the Rhine There is not any one of the Confederate Princes or States to whom he has not offer'd Proposals altogether different from those which he now propounds Witness his Temptations to the Duke of Savoy first by Chanlais then by Catinat and then by other Ministers As to the States General of the United Provinces France made 'em Proposals first by Oxesterne formerly the Swedish Embassaâ—or who had two Audiences to that purpose â—esides the Proposals made 'em by M. Lenthe the Danish Envoy She has observ'd the same conduct at the Court of England where M. Scheel now talks at another rate Several other Projects have been presented at the Courts of all the rest of the Confederate Prinâ—es wherein there is nothing solid or constant shich is a convincing Proof that the most Christian King seeks only to draw the Confederates into a Negotiation to obtain a Cessation of Arms on purpose to amuse 'em while he on the other side assays by more powerful efforts to ruin their Union And this is Lewis XIV's foul Play and the compass which he fetches to â—attain his Ends and disintangle himself out of the Noose that hampers him by saving if possible the best part of his Conquests and delivering his Impoverish'd Dominions from the ponderous Burthens which they groan under And now 't is for the Confederate Princes to consider what they have to do and not to suffer themselves to be deluded by the false and deceitful shifts of France and seriously to reflect upon the fatal Misfortunes that will infallibly attend the conclusion of a disadvantagiou Peace if lending their Ears to the Offers oâ— France they neglect the fairest opportunitâ— that ever was to humble that haughty and perfidious Potentate at a time when he beg for Peace and when there needs no more theâ— two Campaigns to obtain all the Advantageâ— which they can expect to reap from theiâ— Perseverance Which is so much the moâ—â— Important as being the reason that has arm'â— all Europe against him and occasion'd thaâ— august and potent Confederacy of so many justly incens'd Princes and who are equally interested therein But what Assurances shall they have thaâ— the Peace which the most Christian King now proposes shall not be violated like thâ— Pyrenean Peace and the Treaties of Aix 〈◊〉 Chapelle and Nimeguen How can they rely upon the Oath of a Prince who acknowledges no other Law then that of his Ambition and Will At the Peace of Arras lip the Good Duke of Burgundy not being willing to trust Charles VII who had brok'n his word in several other Treaties was desirous that the last Article of the Treaty should run in these words That the King for assurance of the observation and full performance of the said Treaty should deliver it seal'd by the Princes of his Blood the Grandees of the Kingdom and the principal Men of the chief Cities and that in case of any Breach those Princes and Lords should be absolv'd from their Oaths of Fidelity toward the King and be oblig'd to serve the Duke against him The Precautions of the Duke of Burgundy upon that occasion might in some measure serve as a Garranty to secure the observance of Charles VII's Word and Oath But it is â—o be consider'd That the condition of the Grandees of the Kingdom was not then the same as now it is Charles VII wanted a great deal of being so well belov'd and so much fear'd by the People and Nobility of France as Lewis XIV at this day The ways which he has taken to gain the Affection of his Subjects are quite different Formerly a little thing would have open'd a wide Gate to Faction and Revolt and incens'd the Grandees and Lords of the Kingdom to take Arms But now the Case is alter'd The King has reduc'd 'em all equally to such a dependance upon him that no Body dares stir and it would be in vain for the Confederate Princes to think of laying the foundation of a solid and lasting Peace upon any such Article in imitation of the Duke of Burgundy For proof of this we may observe that since the beginning of this Reign looking backward as far as the King's Minority France has no longer car'd to be sensible or take notice of the Troubles that had lacerated her very Bowels So that notwithstanding all the Efforts that were usd to re-kindle the same Sparks it was impossible to bring it to pass To which it may be said that Mazarin and the Ministers that succeeded him as also the King himself who is sharp-sighted enough did not contribute a little by means of their good management at the beginning And in regard the People are ignorant in Polities and for that it is impossible for 'em to dive into the secrets of the Cabinet 't was an easie thing for that Monarch being so good a Matchiavilian as he is to reduce his Subjects under that Bondage wherein we now behold ' em He easily brought it to pass by depriving 'em of all the means that might prove a Bait to Insurrection
Peace For as to what remains said he I should make no scruple to acknowledge the seeking after Peace when the Progress and Reputation of the King's Arms in the next Campain shall have advanced his Majesties Renown to the highest pitch it can arrive at c. These were the Sentiments of the most Subtle and Crafty Minister that ever France had who decides the Question in few words The Most Christian King has so well profited by the Maxims of that great Politician that 't is with him an inviolable Law not to swerve from the Practice thereof to this day Nor was Mazarin alone of this Opinion The Marquess of Louvois jumps with him in the same Sentiments And tho' he were not of so â—ublime a Genius as Mazarin the Reputation he acquir'd during his Ministry renders â—im Authentic enough to be quoted for a good Author You shall hear what he said to Colbert Croissi when he gave him his last Instructions how to carry himself at the Negotiation of Nimeguen whither he was sent with the Character of a Plenipotentiary I know very well said he that the Confederate Princes will make a Judgment to the Prejudice of his Majesty of his Conduct in inviting 'em to a Peace but it matters not the Advantages he will receive thereby will amply recompence the Wrong which his Honour will suffer besides that we shall come off well enough by giving out that his Majesty vouchsaf'd to afford Peace to Europe Thus you see what has been all along the Temper of France this is no Maxim of Yesterday as being practis'd by several of his Majesty's Ancestors Witness what Comines reports of Lewis XI That that same Prince to get himself out of the Bryars at a time when Paris the Capital City of his Kingdom was within a very little of being Besieg'd by the Burgundians deem'd it the only way in the World he could take to Temporize He thought it by no means proper to venture his Kingdom upon the Hazard of a Battle and therefore labour'd under-hand to Dis-unite the Princes and Lords of the Confederacy which succeeded very luckily and by that means he got the better of his Enemies Henry IV. and Lewis XIII took the same Course And still when France has been overwhelm'd with the great number of her Enemies it has been always her way to ruin their Union with fair and plausible Proposals of Peace But if it may be said that the French Monarchy had always Great Masters in this Scienice Lewis XIV has out-done 'em all His Reign has been a continued Series of deceitful Promises violated Faith and Treaties broken In a word this Prince observing himself Attack'd by the most Potent Confederacy that ever was entred into against France can never take a better opportunity to propose Peace then when her Triumphant Arms may seem to boast of some Advantages The same Arms are fickle and uncertain and Fortune that has favour'd him hitherto may forsake him and reduce his Affairs to the most Pitiful Condition in the World It looks then if we may judge of Events by the disposal and management of things as if France affraid of strange Revolutions sufficient to ravish from him in an instant all the Honour and Glories he has hitherto enjoy'd and despoil her Conquests gain'd by breach of Treaties sought to effect by Policy what she cannot compass by Force There are four things that urge the Crown of France to press the Confederates so earnestly for a Treaty of Peace The First is the â—ondition of her Affairs which at present is savourable enough in regard of the Progresses which her Arms have made The Second is her Apprehensions lest the Confederates considerably augmenting their Forces and redoubling their Efforts should weaken her in such a manner as to disable her for the future from making a further Progress upon her Neighbours if they permit her to keep her own The Third is the hopes that she has of luckily obtaining her ends by the same Artifices which she made use of at the Peace of Nimiguen And the Fourth is the low ebb of her Exchequer and the deplorable condition of the People reduc'd to utmost Misery by Famin and want of Corn. As to the condition of her Affairs most certain it is that France is well advis'd in taking this time to make her Proposals of Peace She was never so happy nor so much caress'd by Fortune as now For five Years together that the War has bin declar'd excepting the First Campaign wherein the Confederates triumph'd upon the reducing of Mayence Keiserwart Bon c. to which we may add that famous Atchievment at the Boyn the memorable Victory with which it was attended the Engagement by Sea and the Duke of Savoy's Irruption into the Dauphinate all other things may be said to have been prosperous for France So that if she could inveagle the Confederate Princes into a Negotiation at a time when every thing smiles upoâ— her she may have just reason to expect thaâ— such a Negotiation will be attended with 〈◊〉 Peace no less glorious and advantagious foâ— her then that of the Pyreneans Aix la Chapelle or Nimeguen For proof of which then needs no more but to reflect upon the Offer of the Envoys of Denmark to the Court oâ— England and the States of the United Provinces which we have already recited Which Offers are so inconsiderable That 't is a meeâ— Insulting and an Affront put upon the Honour of so many Princes to presume that they would ever listen to such Proposals As to the Apprehensions of France lest the Confederates should redouble their Efforts and constrain the most Christian King to confine himself within much narrower Limits 't is as certain That her Fears are not groundless and that 't is but good Counsel given to the most Christian King to advise him to bid his Generals and his Souldiers whet their Swords betimes and have their Arms in a readiness because that in all Likelihood we shall have a warm Campaign of it The most Christian King perhaps did ne're expect that England turmoil'd as she had been with Factions and Dissentions that harrass'd the Peace and Tranquility of the Kingdom would have taken a Resolution to conclude the War by Efforts of Puissance and constant Opposition by granting the Men â—nd Mony which King William desir'd Nor 〈◊〉 England the only Confederate so well inâ—in'd to the common Cause The United â—rovinces and the rest of the Princes and â—tates that compose the League unanimously â—onclude to sacrifice the whole toward the â—btaining a lasting and durable Peace And â—ence it is that we behold such numerous Armies such prodigious Forces muster'd together on the Confederates side amounting â—â—s they say to no less then 400000 Men Which if it be true France will find it a difficult Task to fend off the Blows on every side And I am persuaded that Marshal Luxemburgh as much pufft up as he is with the Advantages that he