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
been the Ruin of all the Leagues that have been formerly contracted against her You have to do with a crafty and potent Enemy and as she has found the Benefit of her Maxims practis'd in the late Wars she makes use at present of the same to break your Union How earnest is she at the Court of Rome How importunate with the Northern Crowns and the laudable Cantons to persuade 'em to take the Meditation upon ' em To this purpose she spares neither Gold nor Silver nor Embassies and it is in good part discover'd that she offer'd six Millions to any one that could procure a Peace And which is worse we find to our Sorrow that her Pains have not prov'd altogether fruitless by the Steps that some People tread who interest themselves too much in her Concerns But some zealous Adherents to that Crowâ— will object and say That 't is high time to puâ— a stop to the Miseries that afflict Europe anâ— you ought not any longer to refuse that Peacâ— to France which she demands since she makeâ— such advantagious Offers seeing the Deniaâ— will render you responsible before God foâ— all the Blood that is shed and for all the dismal Calamities that attend War The moâ—â— Christian King say they offers the Confederates Conditions altogether reasonable hâ— offers 'em Barriers sufficient to secure theiâ— Liberty and to secure 'em for the future from the prodigious Forces of that Crown Those Offers are these that follow France proposes by the Danish Envoy That first in respect of the Emperor the Princes and States of the Empire the Dutchess of Lorrain and Savoy the Advantages which his Armies have gain'd upon his Enemies shall make no alteration in the Conditions that have bin communicated to his Danish Majesty That in respect of the King of Spain his most Christian Majesty might justly keep all his Conquests after the Example of the Catholick Kings but that to facilitate a Peace he is willing to restore Roses and Belevers and in a word all that he has conquer'd in Catalonia during this last War He adds That he had still more reason to keep for the safery of his Frontiers all the Conquests that he had won in Flanders yet for the forming of 〈◊〉 Barrier that might remove all occasion of â—isquiet from the United Provinces he would â—estore to the King of Spain Mons and Naâ—â—ur and offer'd to demonish Charleroy As to the Country of Liege he would reâ—ore the City and Castle of Huy to the Biâ—hoprick and make amends for Dinant and Bouilion by reuniting such a Portion of the Country of Luxemburgh as should lie most for the convenience of the Bishoprick and as should be deem'd reasonable by chosen Arbitrators He consents to the re-settling of Trade with the States General according to the Agreements in the Treaty of Nimeguen without any Alteration In case of the King of Spain's Death he consents that the Elector of Bavaria shall enjoy those Countries provided the Emperor will declare the same to be his Will and Pleasure And that tho' the Deceased Queen's Renunciation to Spain during her Minority be Void for the Reasons already made publick to the World his Majesty is willing as well for himself as for the Dauphin to confirm he said Renunciation in favour of the Duke of Bavaria with all the requisite Formalities adding withall that he makes no question but that this Engagement will convince the Confederates beyond all other things of the reality of the Peace which he proposes to ' em As to the Affairs of England the Royal Majestyâ— being wounded in the Person of the K. of Greaâ— Britain his Most Christian Majesty makes no question but that the King of Sweeden and the Emperor himself will propose some Expedient to put an end to that Difference And moreover his Most Christian Majesty has no pretention directly nor indirectly to England excepting what he claim'd during this War to the Islands and Continents of America of which he demands Restitution being ready to renew with that Crown the last Treaty of Commerce which was in force when the War began As for what concerns Germany his Most Christian Majesty-consents that the Treaty of Munster and Nimeguen shall remain in full Force and Vigour That the Truce in 1684. might be chang'd into a Definitive Treaty of Peace nevertheless with these Exceptions That in compensation for Strasburg France shall Surrender up Mont Royal and Trarbag after the Fortifications are Demolish'd granting that it be for the security of the Empire Besides that his most Christian Majesty will restore Philipsbourg and Fribourg to the Emperor and the Empire together with the Fortifications in the same condition as now they are That Fort Lewis and Huninghen shall be Demolish'd That Heydelburg and the Palatinat shall be restor'd to the Palatinate France taking upon her to make Madam amends for the Succession of the Electors her Father and Brother an Article which his Most Christian Majesty stands very much upon In regard of the Duke of Lorrain the Most Christian King consents that the Treaty of Nimeguen shall be observ'd Sar Louis Briche and Hombourg excepted for which there shall be an Equivalent given of an equal Revenue That the most Serene Republic of Venice shall be Arbitratrix if there be any Reunions to make and for the putting a conclusion to all Differences between France and the rest of the Princes she will agree to any just and reasonable Proposals that shall be made on their Part and in their Name In truth we must acknowledge that France is become all on a sudden very Tractable and very Consciencious she who was wont to gripe all and restore nothing now offers the Confederates the Restitution of all the Places during the last War Most Serene Princes here is a particular Favour which the Most Christian King vouchsafes ye He is willing notwithstanding your Obstinacy to continue the War to heap his Graces upon ye to the end you may have reason to forget the Mischiefs he has done ye He offers to be Reconcil'd with ye and lay down his Arms provided you will accept of his Propositions of Peace and rely upon his Promises After this 't is to be thought that you will have no cause to Complain And the Adherents of France will be apt to tell ye that Lewis XIV is at this day Triumphant and Victorious and consequently that 't is for him to give Laws to his Enemies and to make no Restitutions at all but what he pleases himself But to this I answer If France has got such great Advantages over the Princes of the League and is so much a gainer by the War why do's she talk of Peace To spare you therefore the pains of alledging some good Reason or other in justification of a Prince whose Interests you so heartily Maintain I shall only repeat what Mazarine upon the like occasion wrote to M. Lionne Secretary of State concerning the Negotiation of the Pyrenaean
Custody and Preservation of one of these Places is entrusted with the Spaniards and for that Luxemburg has had too much experience of the Bravery of the Hollanders 't is not his Opinion that his Majesty should adventure his Fame and Reputation upon a Siege where he must fight against whole Armies of which the Garisons are Compos'd So that his Majesty in all likelyhood will be contented with taking a Journey into Flanders to give his Ladies a little fresh Air and if he finds no probability of doing any thing considerable he will return by the way of Dinant under pretence of some Indisposition of Body If the Marshals of Luxemburg de Lorge Catinat and Bouflers are to be believ'd there will be some set-Battles this Year and therefore it was not thought convenient to undertake any this last Winter for fear of Tyring out the Soldiers considering the need of Fresh Men to support so many great Actions Only the French could wish their Cavalry were a little more Numerous and that they could be suppli'd with the Horses which the Jews of Metz engag'd to procure ' em But the strict Order taken by the Confederates was an Invincible Obstacle which they never expected Thus you see what famous Exploits were design'd in the Cabinet at Versailles But if the Confederate Princes do their Duty and act by concert 't is in a manner certain that France will only Triumph in Imagination and that she runs a great hazard of seeing her self in as bad or worse Condition in the end of the Campaign as she was at the Beginning The Confederates with much more reason hope to Ruin her by prolonging the War and to enforce her in despight of all her Flourishes and Bravado's to Surrender back all her Usurpations 'T is a good Omen for the Confederates that France begins the first of all to talke of Peace and that she offers to restore some part of her Conquests 'T is a sign she is weary of the War and that her Conscience upbraids her with Perfidiousness and at the same time ordains her to make restitution of her Usurpations if she intends to be Reconcil'd with her Enemies As for the Confederates who are without Reproach in that Particular they are not yet so Harrass'd by the incumbent Necessities and fatal Exigencies attending a long War but that with far less Prejudice they can still maintain their Resolutions of never hearkning to a Treaty unless that France submit to surrender whatever she has possess'd her self of by Invasion since the Pyrenean Peace ADDENDA THAT it is the general Interest of Europe to have the Pyrenean Treaty restor'd to its full Force has been shewn at large in the foregoing Discourses but how particularly England is concern'd in that Restitution is what will appear by the following Reflections wherein I intend to shew that it is particularly both the Interest and Honour of this Nation never to consent to a Peace till the Affairs of Europe be reduc'd to the same condition as they were when the Treaty we speak of was concluded 'T is agreed on all hands That the Peace of Christendom cannot be lasting and firm unless there be an Equilibrium between the two Greatest Powers For when at any Time one prevails over the other Ambition never wants a Pretence to make War which in its consequence tho at first began only between them Two yet in the end sets all the States of Christendom together by the Ears and involves them in all the Miseries that attends a most barbarous and unmerciful War So long as the Spaniards were at the Top of the Wheel what Troubles Wars and Misfortunes did they not occasion in Christendom by their foolish and immoderate Ambition to Lord it over all the World besides And since the French have succeeded them in their Fortunes and Designs what Barbarities desolations and Cruelties have we not seen and felt This therefore sheweth the absolute necessity of an Equilibrum between France and the House of Austria but the Question is how to come at it Whosoever will be at the pains to consider well what has bin said before must agree That there is no other way left to balance those two Powers but to revive the Pyrenean Treaty which put such reasonable Bounds to those two contending Empires that I dare say it would be very easy to preserve Peace in Christendom did the Christians but mind their own true Interest But perhaps some will say against this How can you affirm that that Treaty did set the Scales even between those two Crowns seeing the French are grown so powerful since that time and the Spaniards on the other Hand have suffer'd such considerable Losses This is a great Objection I confess indeed and that which seems at first a Demonstration that that Treaty was too advantagious to France yet when it is throughly enquir'd into it will appear to be very trivial and of no force at all as I hope to shew before I have done And the better to clear this Difficulty I say first That to pretend to set such an exact Equilibrium between France and the House of Austria as may infallibly secure the Peace of Europe without the concurrence of the other States is a foolish and an idle Speculation and indeed an Impossibility 2. That all that we can reasonably expect is to set France and the House of Austria in such a condition that whenever one of them shall venture to disturb the Peace of Europe it might be in the power of another State to turn the Scales and command them to be quiet And 3. I say That the Treaty concluded at the Pyrenees left France and the House of Austria in such a condition Now to prove this I have nothing else to do but to shew That there was then such a Power in being as was able to keep both the French and Spaniards in Peace and that was England But to set this truth in its full Light I shall only put the Reader in mind of the Causes of the Growth of France in which the Author of the foregoing Treatise is in my Opinion very defective For tho' the great Ability of their Ministers of State the good use of their Mony and the Arbitrary Power of their King may have contributed very much to these Conquests yet after all they owe more to say not all to the kindness of King Charles II. and to the supine carelesness of the English This will appear the more visible if we consider the happy Circumstances that King Charles was in upon his Restoration The Effeminacy Luxury and other Vices which have bin since so common amonst us were then unknown to the English for Cromwel had left him a true sober and warlike Nation Our Seamen having curbed the Dutch they defied and that with Justice all the Powers of the World to contend with them for the Empire of the Sea We were Masters of Dunkirk a very considerable Place and which lying between the French
end he might bind both the one and the other so much the faster to his Interests and because it should n'er be said that Spain should one day boast to have inforc'd France to make Restitution of what belong'd to those Princes at the Peril of his Majesties Clemency who reserv'd the Honour of it wholly to himself But if Spain took little care of the Interests of her Confederates France took a quite contrary Course in respect of Portugal the Dukes of Newburg Savoy and Modena her Allies for whom the Cardinal procur'd all the Advantages they could expect What an Honour was it for France what a Happiness at the same time for the Duke of Newburg He did but enter into an Alliance with France and presently had his Territories restor'd him France quits all abandons a part of her own Interests and causes Restitution to be made of the City of Juliers to the prejudice of the Emperor's and the Duke of Brandenburgh's Claims While on the Part of Spain such Soveraign Princes as the Duke of Lorrain who had serv'd her above Eight and twenty Years are depriv'd of all In truth most Serene Princes who are at this day united in Confederacy against France as I cannot but reflect upon a Conduct so little becoming the Justice of a potent Monarchy so I cannot but humbly lay befnre you this Noble Memento That being upon the point of concluding a Peace with the Most Christian King 〈◊〉 stands with your Honour to take a care â—â—at it be not a Peace like the rest and that one of the Princes comprehended in this August Confederacy wherein you have so justly â—rm'd your selves may have the like occasion to charge you with the same Reproach Methinks I hear France already loudly giving out as she did in the time of Charles the 〈◊〉 and Francis I That the Protecting of the House of Austria was never capable of secuâ—â—â—ng the Princes that sided with her from Oppression Witness say they what at that me befell the Dukes of Savoy and what has befallen Duke Victor Amedeas II. Which maner of Arguing makes me judge that France as a strong Confidence in the Engine she is â—tting at work to bring him off from the confederacy she fails not to Peal in his â—ars that he is upon the brink of being Forken by the rest of the Princes as his Anceers the Duke of Lorrain and the Prince of himai were formerly and as an accumution to his Misfortune of seeing his unhappy Dominions become the Innocent Victim of he Common-Cause which freequently Sacrifices the Weakest But let ut return to our Subject And now behold all Europe wistfully expecting to enjoy he Sweets of a solid and durable Peace after which she has panted so many Years Spain is the first that has reason to conceive great Hopes from so August a Treaty and an Alliance that one would think should revive the Amity that flourish'd betwen the two House in the Reigns of Ferdinand and Lewis XII Those two Princes in testimony of their intended constant Union and inviolable Friend ship would needs that the first Article of the Treaty of Blois should be express'd in theâ— Words The Most Christian King and the Catholick King shall be as two Souls in one an the same Body Would to God we had as much reason oâ— our side to continue the same Language and that we had not rather cause to say of Lewis XIV what the Historian said of the Dauphin who fled for Succour to the Court 〈◊〉 Burgundy that upon the Marriage of the Monarch with the Infanta of Spain Hatred Altecration Discord Brandling c. Aâ—â— the Devils entred with him into the House 〈◊〉 Austria 'T is also observable that the daâ— when that unhappy Alliance was conclude was so Tempestuous and so outrageously Stoâ— my that the Plenipotentiaries were at a loâ— whether they should stay or run out of the Room so great the Danger was that threatnâ— ' em It seem'd as if Heaven had had a deâ— sign to have hinder'd the conclusion of a Contract that was made on purpose to sow the Seeds of those Dismal Confusions and Calamities that afterwards o'erwhelm'd all Europe And thus we have seen the Bounds that were prescrib'd to France by the Pyrenaean Treaty Now let us see how far either her Ambition or her breach of Faith extended 'em and the Springs that she set at work to Inâ—ade the Possessions of her Neighbours and to Cloath her self with the Spoils of so many Oppressed Princes whom she Sacrificed to her Avarice to form the Powerful Monarchy that so long has been the Terror of Europe Modern Historians have great reason to say That France is now no longer to be found in France she is become so much alter'd and out of Knowledge How many States Signiories Demesnes and Principalities has she Invaded What Potentate could vaunt himself secure from her impious Tyranny I find not any in all the four Parts of the World The whole Earth upbraids her with her Infidelity Let 'em not tell me that France has obtain'd to that high degree of Exaltation and Power by the Rights or Claims that have been yielded to her by virtue of Alliances or Treaties which have succeeded that of the Pyrenans For to that I answer That the Princes of the League are not to take notice of any other then the Pyrenean Treaty and that 't is a favour done her if they should not dispute the Places with her that were allowed her by that Treaty which was brought to Perfection to the Advantage of France by the Treachery and Cunning of Mazarin prevailing over the Weakness and witless Insufficiency of Don Lewis 'T is a Truth so generally receiv'd that all the World knows it That France constrain'd the Confederates by force of Arms to conclude the two Treaties of Aix la Chapelle and Nimeguen So that if the Duke of Venice Andrea Gritti call'd the City of Cambray the Venetian's Purgatory because all the Treaties there concluded between the two Emperors and the two Kings of France had bin fatal to the most Serene Republick We may with as much reason call the Cities of Aix la Chappelle and Nimeguen the Purgatories of the Spaniards and the Confederates in regard of the Injustice of France appropriating to her self while she had such numerous Armies on foot the greatest part of their Territories under pompous and chimerical Titles claims of the Queen Right of Devolution Dependency and Covenience c. And indeed if I may presume to say so France may be said to have soundly purg'd both Spain and the Confederates by the Treaties of Aix la Chapelle and Nimeguen if we consider the Losses which they have sustain'd through the surrender of a great many Towns and Fortresses to which the King of France's Power constrain'd 'em and to which he had no Right God grant we may not fall into the like Misfortunes if it should come to another Treaty in the management of which
To discharge his Subjects from the ponderous Burdens with which they are overwhelm'd during the War to revoke all Decrees and Declarations that tended to their Ruin and lastly to deliver 'em from all those Burthensome Impositions and chargeable Taxes with which they were oppress'd in Time of War to the end they may have liberty to take Breath and recover their decay'd Strength that they may be the better enabl'd to bear new Burthens when the Exigencies of the State require it Quite the contrary were the Proceedings of Lewis the Great for no sooner were the Pyrenean Peace the Treaties of Aix la Chapelle and Nimeguen concluded but he turns his Arms against his own Subjects and not content with the Devastations of all Europe he ransacks the Bowels of his own Kingdom â—nd causes his People to wish a thousand Times for War rather then Peace to the end that so many miserable Wretches might live â—ecure from his Ambitious Tyranny What â—s there to be imagin'd that France has left â—ndone to ruin his own Subjects Her Counâ—il has exhausted it self in Decrees no â—ooner is one made publick but three more â—re in the Press The Parliaments and Soveâ—aign Courts that were formerly Protectors of â—he People and which were erected in the Raigns of this King's Predecessors to ballance â—he Royal Authority are now reduc'd to such 〈◊〉 base and sordid Compliance with the Prince â—hat they only sit to consent to and authorize â—is incroachments upon the People The Farmers and they who have manag'd â—he Publick Treasure what have they left unâ—â—one what Artifices have they not made use â—f to draw all the Mony of the Kingdom inâ—o the King's Coffers Have we not seen a â—olbert almost murder himself by tormenting â—is Brains in finding out a thousand Tricks to â—educe the People to utmost Beggary That Great Man was the Object of Court Adoration but the Abomination of the People Nor can I here forbear to recite what one Day â—e answer'd his Majesty upon occasion of some new Imposts that were going to be laid upon his Subjects For upon the King 's telling him That such Exactions would enforce the People to cry out meerly for Wanâ— and finding themselves utterly unable to pay their Assessments for that no body could pay who had it not O Sir said he your Subjects are like a Sack of Flower the more yoâ— shake it the more Meal comes forth However it were both that Minister they that preceded and they that follow'd him in thâ— management of the Finances understood 〈◊〉 well to squeez the Kingdom of France thaâ— whereas Thirty Millions was the highest Suâ— to which the Revenue of the Crown amounted formerly they have rais'd it to above 〈◊〉 hundred and threescore We must not therefore think it strange to see that Monarchy opprest as now it is and the People reduc'd tâ— utmost Misery Besides all these ways the most Christiaâ— King still puts in practise a great number 〈◊〉 others which have equally contributed to thâ— Ruin of his Subjects such are his Quartering of Soldiers Creations of New Offices and suppressing of others his pretended Extirpation of the Huguenot Heresie and hiâ— Pious Foundations of which the Kingdom iâ— full His sordid Compliance with the Monkâ— and Clergy who possessing the fairest Poâ—tion of his Realm have heap'd up vast Treasures and Riches to the impoverishment 〈◊〉 the meaner sort who subsist only by their Laâ—â—our and Industry His prodigious Expences 〈◊〉 building Royal Houses and erecting sumâ—â—uous Monuments to his future Fame The â—ast Treasures he has wasted in bringing Riâ—ers into Places in despite of Mountains the â—â—lid Oppositions of Nature which he has â—â—t through and Valleys which he has fill'd 〈◊〉 all which cost France several Millions and â—â—rty Thousand of her best Men. We may â—â—d to all this the joining of two Seas and â—â—e Royal Canal in which hard Labours the â—â—ing sacrific'd the same number of his selectâ—â—â— Subjects The enhauncing and abateâ—ent of Mony which has ruin'd Trade and â—â—ck'd his People to the last drop of their â—â—ood The vast number of Forts and Forâ—esses which he has built and rais'd upon all â—e Frontiers of the Kingdom which has cost â—m immense Sums The Pensions which he â—â—s paid in all the Courts of Europe to make â—â—liances or for the maintenance of his Emisâ—ries which costs him several Millions and â—e keeping afoot near two hundred thousand â—â—en in time of Peace and 400000 in time of â—â—ar the vast Sums which he expends in â—â—ring out great Fleets besides what his Maâ—â—zins of Ammunition and Provision upon the â—â—ontiers cost him All this I say contriâ—â—tes to the Ruin of France and to reduce it 〈◊〉 that deplorable Condition wherein we find â—â—at this day Let it be as it will the most Christiaâ— King having consum'd the most solid part 〈◊〉 the Crown Demesnes in so many extravagant ways of Expence it may be said Thaâ— he has acted like those unwary Gamesteâ—â— who having undone themselves by Play 〈◊〉 know not where to betake themselves to geâ— more But this Prince is not only contenteâ— to have plaid away his own Revenues 〈◊〉 has also gam'd away the Estates of his Subjects and by that means has reduc'd Franâ—â— to those Extremities which are enough to overturn it So that 't is no wonder to see Famiâ— rage within his Kingdom The most Christian Lewis XIV might havâ— wish'd that his Father Lewis XIII in imitation of Dagobert the ' Leventh King of Francâ— had bin so pious or rather a Person of so muâ—â— Fore-sight as to have cover'd the Church 〈◊〉 St. Denis with Silver to the end that afteâ— he had drein'd his Exchequer he might havâ— had the same shift at a Pinch as Clovis the Soâ— of Dagobert had who uncovered the Church and made use of the Mony to save Francâ— which then began to be afflicted with a moâ—â— terrible Dearth But Henry IV. and Lewiâ— XIII had so much Work upon their Handâ— that their Reigns might well be said to bâ— rather Iron then Silver Reigns and that theâ— were so far from having any Overplus's to laâ— out upon Dagobert's pious uses that they weâ—â— forc'd to borrow to supply the Exigencies 〈◊〉 the State Lewis XIV was the Prince who of all the Kings of France possess'd the vastest heap of Treaâ—ure and who beheld himself the most puissant of all his Predecessors by the prodigious Improvement of his Finances and Reâ—enues To be convinc'd of this there needs â—o more but to consider That the Revenues of the Crown hardly mounted to 16 Millions in the Reigns of the Valois's In Henry â—V.'s time they ascanded to Thirty Richlieu â—nder Lewis XIII rais'd 'em to Forty five â—nd after him Mazarine advanc'd 'em to aâ—ove sixty Which was nothing to what they are mounted at present for according to an exact Computation Colbert and the rest of â—he Publicans and Sinners have advanc'd 'em â—o above a hundred and fifty Millions
and Spaniards was as we may say a Throne upon which a King of England could decide without Appeal the Differences between France and Spain In short to crown all this King Charles found the most liberal People that ever was Now after this who will deny that England was then in a condition to restrain the French and oblige them to stand still tho' they had bin in a much better posture then they were For these Divisions were not altogether appeased and their Fleet at that time was so very inconsiderable that they made but a very little figure at Sea By what has bin said I hope it appears That if a Peace has not reigned in Europe since the Pyrenean Treaty it is not because there was not an Equilibrum set between France and the House of Austria but only because those whose gloriuos Province it was to maintain the publick Peace were corruptible Men and therefore I conclude that if that Treaty be restor'd if the Affairs of Eurpoe were reduc'd to the same Condition as they were then in we shall enjoy a lasting Peace For it is not to be supposed that any King of England for the future will be persuaded to sell Dunkirk to the Franch to teach them how to manage their Fleet to join with them against the Dutch our Confederates and in a word to suffer them to swallow Flanders or any other Country 'T is said indeed that Glory is the inseparable Companion of Princes but sure I am that the Prince we speak of must be excepted out of that Rule for had he felt any sting of that noble Passion is it to be believ'd that he would have divested himself of the most glorious Advantage and Title that ever any Christian Prince enjoy'd viz. of being the Vmpire of Europe and the Defender of the Peace as well as of the Faith Now since the Restitution of the Pyrenean Treaty is so absolutely necessary for the Peace of Christendom 't is plain That England aâ— well as other Nations now in Confederacy witâ— her must be engag'd to continue the War tiâ— we obtain it but besides we are engag'd by the Ties of Honour and Glory in thâ— Quarrel It hath been our ofrmer Princes Negligence or our own that hath made sâ— wide a Breach in Europe and are we noâ— bound in Honour as well as in Justice tâ— make it up We have lost the fairest Floweâ— of our Crown in parting with the Advantaâ— ges I have mention'd are we not bound therefore for the Glory of our Country tâ— strive to regain them Dunkirk I know waâ— not yielded to the English by the Pyreneaâ— Treaty but was it not then our own sinoâ— soon after King Chrales sold it How much the loss of Calais was bewail'd by our Fore-fathers I think needless to teâ— my Reader since it hastened the death oâ— Queen Mary her self but with what Tranquility we suffer'd the loss of Dunkirk is indeed a Subject of Wonder but I think it still a grerter to hear many People say that it is against our Interest to demand the Restitution of that Place unless they will say that Calais was of more advantage to England which I have no reason to believe as I could easily shew if I would break the Bounds which I have prescrib'd to my self I would conclude here and truly 't is high time but I think my self oblig'd to answer or at least to prevent an Objection which some People may possibly make If almost all the Princes of Europe in Confederacy together are scarce now able to resist France how is it possible that England along should keep the Balance even between that Kingdom and the House of Austria To this I answer that if France was supposed to be always as powerful as it is at this day or as it has been for many Years of late the Objection would then hold good and I should reckon my self something worse then a Fool to believe that England and Spain would be able to counterbalance it since as it is observ'd so many States in conjunction together find it a difficult matter to do it but if the French are once brought back to the Pyrenean Treaty and once shut up within these ancient Bounds then I dare say That England will be able to turn the Scale to what side soever she pleases and especially if Dunkirk be rrestor'd to us All the World knows that the French have made great Conquests and consequently that they must be stronger then they were formerly but the better to make this Truth sensible and to give at the same time a just Idea of their present Strength I 'll offer to the Reader a List of the principal Towns and Countries which they have acquir'd to use their own Phrase since the Pyrenean Treaty Dunkirk Bergue St. Vinox Ypres Menin Furnes Tournay Lille Douay St. Omer Valenciennes Conde Bouchain Cambray Aire St. Guilain Mons Charleroy Namur Huy Dinant Charlemont Maubeuge Luxemburgh with all its Dependencies The whole Dutchy of Lorrain The County of Burgundy in which are very Considerable Places as Besancon Dole Salins c. Treves or Tryers with almost that Electorate Montroial Strasbourgh Philipsbourgh Landau Friburgh The whole Dutchy of Savoy Suse Cazal Nisse Ville Franche Roses and many others which for brevity-sake I shall omit All these Places are extraordinary well fortified and have large Dependencies and this makes France so powerful and almost impenetrable either in Flanders or Germany but it must be granted that if the French were once oblig'd to restore them to their right Owners they would cease to be so formidable from whence I conclude again that it is in the Pyrenean Treaty alone we can find that Equilibrium I have spoken of and which is so absolutely necessary to the Peace of Europe FINIS Books Printed for Richard Bladwin at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane A Poem on the late Promotions of several Eminent Persons in Church and State by N. Tate Servant to their Majesties Pleasure with Profit Consisting of Recreations of divers kinds viz. Numerical Geometrical Mechanical Statical Astronomical Horometrical Cryptographical Magnetical Automatical Chymical and Historical Published to recreate Ingenious Spirits and to induce them to make farther scrutiny into these and the like Sublime Sciences And to divert them from following such Vices to which Youth in this Age are so much inclin'd By William Leybourn Philomathes To this Work is also annext a Treatise oâ— Algebra according to the late Improvements applied to Numerical Questions and Geometry with a New Series for the speedy Extraction of Roots as also a Converging Series for all manner of adsected Equations By R. Sault Master of the Mathematical School in Adam's Court in Broad-street near the Royal Exchange Letters of State written by Mr. John Milton to most of the Sovereign Princes and Republicks of Europe from the Year 1649. till the Year 1659. To which is added An Account of his Life together with several of his Poems and a Catalogue of his Works never before Printed Bibliotheca Politica Or an Enquiry into the Ancient Constitution of the English Government with respect both to the just Extent of Regal Power and to the Rights and Liberties of the Subject Wherein all the chief Arguments as well against as for the Late Revolution are impartially represented and considered in XIII Dialogues Collected out of the best Authors both Ancient and Modern To which is added An Alphabetical Index to the whole Work The Works of Francis Rabelais M. D. Or the Lives Heroick Deeds and Sayings of Gargantua and Pantagruel Done out of French by Sir Tho. Vrchard Kt. and others With a large account of the Life and Works of the Author particularly an Explanation of the most difficult Passages in them Never before publish'd in any Language Mercury or the Secret and Swift Messenger Shewing how a Man may with Privacy and Speed communicate his Thoughts to a Friend at any distance The Second Edition by the Right Reverend Father in God John Wilkins late Lord Bishop of Chester Printed for Richard Baldwin where are to be had The World in the Moon and Mathematical Magick An Essay concerning Obedience to the Supreme Powers and the Duty of Subjects in all Revolutions With some Considerations touching the present Juncture of Affairs A Collection of Speeches of the Right Honourable Henry lat Earl of Warrington viz. I. His Speech upon his being Sworn Mayor of Chester in November 1691. II. His Speech to the Grand-Jury at Chester April 13. 1692. III. His Charge to the Grand-Jury at the Quarter-Sessions held for the County of Chester on the 11th of October 1692. IV. His Charge to the Grand-Jury at the Quarter-Sessions held for the County of Chester on the 25th Day of April 1693. FINIS