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
have made the Court of Spain tremble considering the Misfortunes that threatned the Kingdom being carry'd to Don Lewis de Haro never put so much as a Minutes stop to the Negotiation True it is that de Haro had a deep sense of it but Mazarin who had his Prospects redoubl'd his Importunities and hasten'd more then ever the Conclusion of the Treaty When the Kings of France had the Misfortune to make Alliances that were likely to prove fatal to 'em and which infallibly would have prov'd the Ruin of their Dominions what did they do to break ' em Witness the Conduct that Lewis XII observ'd upon the like Occasion He had concluded a Treaty of Confederacy with the Emperor Maximilian The second and third Article of which Treaty imported that the two Princes should engage themselves to ratify and confirm the Contract of Marriage concluded between Charles Duke of Luxemburgh Son of Arch-duke Philip and Madam Claudia of France the most Christian King's Daughter Lewis promis'd that in case he died without Issue Male that the Dutchies of Milan Genoa as also the Countries of Ast and Blois and all the other Lands and Signiories of his Demesnes should be deliver'd up after his Death and immediately after the Consummation of the Marriage of the Duke of Luxemburgh with Madam Claudia of France into the Hands of that Princess his Heiress to enjoy to Perpetuity upon condition that if she happen'd to have any Sisters she should allow 'em a Dowry in Mony proportionable to their Birth The Ministers of Lewis XII after they had seriously consider'd how disadvantagious this Marriage was to France and how powerful the House of Austria was like to grow set all their Engins at work to break it To which purpose by the King's consent there was an Assembly order'd to be summon'd which was held in the year 1506. at Plesses-Les-Tours where the King was present and by a knack of Policy as daring as well found out they order'd underhand a famous Doctor of the University of Paris to appear upon the Stage who came and made a Speech to the King beseeching him in the Name of all the States of France to match the Princess his Daughter with the Duke of Valois presumptive Heir of the Crown This Doctor with so much Eloquence set before the King the Misfortunes that suddenly threatned France if he suffer'd Madam Claudia to marry Charles of Austria or any other Foreign Prince that from that very moment the Match was brok'n off and by that manner of Proceeding Lewis XII disingag'd himself from his Word and Oath and the Treaty which was made in 1501. and confirm'd by another three Years after at Blois was declar'd null and void There 's no Question to be made but that Lewis the XII himself was the Person who order'd the Duke of Valois to be nominated to him by all the States of the Kingdom to the end that by that means he might bring himself off fairly from his Agreements with Maximilian and Philip his Son who had reckned upon the word of that Prince as upon a thing that was irrevocable This is an Example past all Contradiction besides a great number of others that might be found in History sufficient to justifie the Reasons which the Court of Spain had then has she minded her own Interests to have refus'd the Marriage of the Iufanta to Lewis XIV who was a Foreign Prince that they might have bestow'd her upon the Emperor's Son who was of the House of Austria and had demanded her at the same time However it were Mazarin in this particular acted the part of a great Politician and not to mention other Important Services which he did the French Monarch it may be said that tho' he had done nothing else during the whole course of his Ministry this alone was a thing that never ought to be forgot by France So that he made no scruple to write to Monsieur le Tellier immediately after the signing of the Treaty That there was great Reason to hope a long continuation of the Treaty in regard that both Parties were equally satisfy'd But that in his Opinion the King had reason to be more contented because that all the advantage was on his side And besides that there was also this farther Benefit that Don Lewis believing he had don his Business admirably well would never dream of laying hold upon Opportunities for the furture should they present themselves to repair the great Prejudices that Spain had receiv'd by the Conclusion of that Peace However had France stook to this Treaty how disadvantagious soever it was for Spain and had not transgress'd the Limits that were prescrib'd him we should not have now beheld all Eurpoe in Arms and the Princes of the August League unanimously resolv'd not to surcease the War till France has restor'd to every one what she has wrested from 'em since the Conclusion of that Treaty Her want of Faith and Sincerity not only transported her to declare her self the Irreconcileable Enemy of the House of Austria by vertue of those Rights which she pretends to claim as yielded up to her by vertue of that Peace but has openly invaded the Dominions of other Sovereigns of Europe and without any other Right and Title then the Challenges of her Ambition and Power she has run her self into those Excesses that now make her lookt upon with Detestation and Abhorrency We have shew'd ye the Fault never to be repair'd that the Court of Spain committed in consenting to the Marriage of the Infanta with Lewis XIV and to a Treaty of Peace so disadvantagious to her Interests Now let us see the fatal Event that attended 'em and begin with the Bounds that were prescrib'd to France by the Treaty which done we will examin the Conduct which she observ'd to extend those Limits as far as we see 'em now extended And lastly we shall conclude with representing to the Princes of the League the necessity of being inexorable to the Importunities of France for Peace unless extreamly to their Advantage Their Interest to keep inviolably united together and never to listen to the Proposals of France unless she makes Restitution of all that she has usurp'd since the Pyrenean Peace All the World knows that the main thing that obstructed the Pyrenean Treaty was the Accommodation of the Prince of Conde We shall not therefore trouble our selves to recite all the Particulars that pass'd in the great number of Conferences between the Ministers of the two Crowns upon this Subject as being otherwhere to be met with 'T is sufficient to say that Mazarin had the Honour of the Triumph and that he obtain'd of Don Lewis all that he could expect So true it is that the Right and Justice of a good Cause are not battry proof against the Artifices of a Crafty Minister and that Honesty and Sincerity frequently become the Cullies of wily Cunning. Don Lewis demanded that the Prince in consideration
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
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
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
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. 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