THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT TILL THE General Peace Concluded at RESWICK In the YEAR 1697. By Mr. LE GENDRE Made English from the third Edition of the French LONDON Printed for D. Brown at the Black Swan without Temple-Bar Th. Leigh and D. Midwinter at the Rose and Crown and Robert Knaplock at the Angel and Crown both in St. Paul's Church-Yard MDCXCIX THE PREFACE TWO Great Men being at this time Employ'd in Writing the History of our King 't is for their most Excellent Pieces the Publick ought to reserve their Admiration mine being in comparison of theirs but an Essay It is from their most Skilful Pen the Curious must expect to be enlightned in Matters of the greatest Moment I being ready to submit the whole to their Judgment It is to them I appeal as to the true Judges of History and what Difficulties are to be surmounted to merit the Name of a good Historian His Stile ought to be lively and natural and to have an equal mixture of Sweetness and Purity He ought to have an equal Share of Wit and Judgment to represent Matters with the utmost Fidelity and an undaunted Courage to unmask Vice and give due Praise to vertuous Actions These great Talents requisite in an Historian made me tremble at the very Thougts of this Undertaking till a certain Friend of mine a Person of extraordinary Merits and Parts did in some measure recover me from the Fear that seised me representing to me that such a Combination of Perfections must be considered and numbred among those imaginary Accomplishments which are made use of in Sciences to encourage us to such great Undertakings as are sought after by many but attained to by few But if it be so great a Task to write a general History how much more difficult is it to write the History of our Time to give it a true Relish that agreeable Variety and other Embellishments by which the antient Historians have rendred their Names so Famous to Posterity They had frequent Opportunities to give most ample Demonstrations of their Eloquence in these magnificent Harangues which are to be met with in their Works under the Names of their Great Captains who before they Engaged in Battle used to Animate their Troops by representing to them the Justice of their Cause and to Encourage them with certain hopes of Victory Our Princes and Generals have laid aside this Way of Addressing themselves to their Soldiers which takes away from our Modern Historians the Advantage of Embellishing their Historical Relations with these agreeable Diversions and Events which surprise the Reader and which are of no small Moment to take away the Tediousness of the Relations of the many Sieges and Battles which happen in a long War without any other mixture of pleasing Varieties When the antient Historians represent to us a Great Minister of State in the Cabinet of his Prince or an Assembly of Wise Senatours deliberating in Council concerning some Affairs of the greatest Moment they lay hold of this Opportunity to unfold the whole Mystery of the Matrer and to lay it open to the view of the Reader and by their different Advice to discover all the Craft and Intrigues of the most refined Politicians These pretended Discoveries have a secret Charm which is infinitely pleasing to many who measure the Ability of an Historian by his Insight into Matters of State and by his diving into the Events of Things from far fetch'd Causes A Prejudice common to the greatest Part of Mankind who imagine that Princes never act according to their Inclinations but are only guided by some more secret Motives just as if Great Men by being placed in a high Station were divested of these Passions incident to the rest of Mankind But howsoever it be it is unquestionable that he who intends to give us a History of our Time cannot in any wise pretend to give entire Satisfaction to these conceited Politicians For how is it possible to imagine that a private Person should be able to discover the Secrets of the Cabinets of Princes which Time only can bring to light And supposing some of them were by chance come to his Knowledge with what face could he publish them to the World From whence it is evident that all what is to be expected from an Historian who writes the History of our Time is to give us as faithful Relation as possible can be of the Events of Things and to represent them to the Reader in their due order and places and to insert their Causes as far as they came to his Knowledge This is the whole Design of this Treatise to wit to represent to the Reader a true Idea of the Reign of our King which may serve them as a Guide to their own Judgment what Rank this Great Monarch deserves to be placed in among those Great Men whom God has raised up from time to time for the Felicity of the People and the Glory of the Common-wealth For these thirty Years last past our King has been the Admiration of all Europe even his Enemies not refusing to pay due Praises to His Great Actions and these Powerful and unsuccessful Leagues against France are the most Glorious and undeniable Instances not only of his Strength but also of his Merits and Great Qualifications THE CONTENS A. ABbeville a Physician of this City Cures the King Pag. 14 Academies of Sciencies of Painting Sculptures Architecture and Musick Establish'd by the King p. 53 Agousta taken p. 137. Near the Port of this Place Admiral Ruiter was killed in a Sea Engagement p. 137 Alexander VII Pope of Rome his Character before his Exhaltation p. 43 He Sollicits Spain for Succours p. 42 He orders the Subscription of the Formular against the five Propositions of Jansenius p. 75 Algier Bombarded three several times demands Peace p. 172 Alliance betwixt England Sweden and Holland call'd the Tripple-Alliance p. 67 Alost opens its Gates p. 65 Alsace the Viscount Turenne forces the Germans to a retreat from thence is granted to the King p. 165 173 Ambassadours and other foreign Ministers to the number of thirty are present at the Solemn Audience given by the King to the Marquis de la Fuente p. 37 Ambassadours of Muscovy and Guinea p. 79 Ambrun surrendred after a Siege of six days p. 242 Anjou Philip of France Duke of Anjou p. 285 Appeal to the next General Council p. 202 Arnheim surrendred after one days opening of the Trenches p. 92 Arts the King encourages all manner of Arts and Sciences p. 53 Asfeld Baron of defends Bonn with great Bravery p. 218 Aeth taken p. 65 p. 293 Avaux Anthony de Mesme Count de Avaux French Ambassadour at the Treaty of Nimhegen p. 166 Aubusson George d' demands and obtains Satisfaction from the King of Spain about the Enterprize of the Baron of Batteville p. 35 Aubusson Francis d' Duke of Fevillade Marshal of France p. 162 Aumont Anthony d' Marshal of
Bishops of that Assembly p. 187 Is made Arbitrator by the King of the Succession in the Palatinate p. 195 Abolishes the Franchises of Quarters p. 190 Gives his Dispensation to Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 201 Interview of the French and Spanish Court p. 18 Invalides the Royal Hospital built near Paris p. 169 Ipres taken by the King p. 156 Ireland the King sends Succours into that Kingdom p. 214 L'Isle besieged by and surrendred to the King p. 66 K. Kayserswert taken by the Elector of Brandenburgh p. 215 Knock Fort the Allies lose above two thousand Men before it p. 269 L. Ladeburgh the Imperialists defeated by Tuâ—rene near this Place p. 124 Lagos about eighty Vessels were taken and burnt betwixt this place and Cadiz p. 245 246 Lavardin Marquiss of French Ambassadour at Rome p. 197 The Pope refuses him Audience p. 198 League against France betwixt the Emperour Spain and Denmark Holland and all the Princes of Germany except the Dukes of Bavaria and Hannover p. 107 111 League betwixt England and Holland against France p. 153 League of Ausburgh p. 193 League betwixt the Empire Spain England Holland and Savoy against France p. 207 p. 209 Leopold Ignatius Emperour of Germany desires Succours from the King p. 57 Enters in a League against France p. 107 Makes Peace with France p. 165 Makes a Truce with the King p. 177 Enters in another Alliance against him p. 193 Declares for the Election of Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 200 Makes Peace with France p. 308 Leuze Engagement near Leuze 229 Lewis XIII seises Lorrain p. 80 His War with the Hugonots p. 188 Lewis XIV sirnamed the Great his Birth p. 1 Troubles under his Minority p. 2 Is present at the Battle of St. Anthony p. 5 Falls dangerously ill at Calais p. 13 Marries the Infanta of Portugal p. 17 Enters Paris in Triumph p. 20 Lewis the Great his Divertisements p. 25 Obliges Spain to allow him the Precedency p. 37 Receives Satisfaction for the Affront put upon his Ambassadour at the Court of Rome p. 45 Causes a new Codex or Lambock to be compiled p. 52 Restores the decayed Commerce p. 56 Sends Succours to the Emperour p. 57 And to the Dutch p. 58 Lewis the Great besieges and takes Listle p. 66 Conquers the French Comte in eight days p. 68 Suppresles Jansinism p. 69 Builds Versailles p. 77 And takes Possession of Lorrain p. 81 LEWIS the Great declares War against Holland p. 85 His first Conquests p. 87 seq New Conquests p. 92 Draws the King of England from his Alliance with the Dutch p. 95 Besieges and takes Mastrick p. 103 seq Besieges and takes Besanson p. 114 Makes himself Master of the whole French Comte in one Months time p. 117 LEWIS the Great takes Conde p. 134 Sends Succours to Messina p. 136 Takes Valenciennes p. 142 The Town and Cittadel of Cambray p. 148 Ghent p. 156 Ipres p. ibid. Restores Peace to Europe p. 162 Erects the Academies for the Cadees p. 168 Builds the Hospital of the Invalides p. 169 Founds the Community of St. Cyr. p. ib. LEWIS the Great Chastises the Corsairs of Barbary p. 171 172 Genoeses p. ibid. Summons all his Vassals in Alsace to do him Homage p. 174 Goes to Strasburgh to receive in Person the Oath of Fidelity p. 175 Makes a Truce with the Emperour for twenty years p. 177 LEWIS the Great obliges the King of Spain to resign the Title of Duke of Burgundy p. 177 Causes Luxenburgh to be block'd up p. 178 Covers the Siege of Luxenburgh p. 179 Makes a Truce with Spain for twenty Years p. 180 Differences betwixt him and the Court of Rome p. ibid. He suppresses Calvinism in France p. 187 The whole Kingdom makes Vows for his Recovery p. 192 The Motives that obliged him to have recourse to Arms. p. 202 Takes Philipsburgh and the whole Palatinate p. 203 204 LEWIS the Great receives the King and Queen of England with an unparallell'd Generosity p. 213 Sends Succours into Ireland p. ib. Besieges and takes Mons. p. 228 The City and Cittadel of Namur p. 233 Being troubled with the Gout is carried in a Chair to all Places where his Presence was most necessary p. 236 The Prince of Conty Elected King of Poland by his Encouragement and Protection p. 299 Restores Peace to Europe p. 307 Limburgh taken by Henry Julius Prince of Conde p. 128 Limerick in Ireland bravely defended by the French p. 225 The English obliged to raise the Siege ibid. Limits see Differences Lines what they are p. 249 New Lines drawn from the Shelde to the Lis and from Courtray to the Sea-side p. 268 Longueville Duke of kill'd p. 98 Longe Alphonse de Durasford Duke de Lorges Marshal of France makes good his Retreat against the Imperialists after the Death of Turenne p. 132 Takes Heidelbergh p. 246 Louvois see Tellier Luxenburgh block'd up p. 178 Besieged p. 179 Taken p. ib. Luxenburgh Francis Henry de Montmorancy Duke de Pency Luxenburgh Peer and Marshal of France takes Groll Deventer and all the Places in the Province of Over-Yssle p. 93 Obliges the Prince of Orange to raise the Siege of Voerden p. 97 Repulses the Dutch at St. Denis p. 163 Beats the Allies at Flerus p. 219 Leuze p. 229 Steenkirk p. 239 At Neerwinden p. 248 His Death p. 270 M. Machin or Engine made use of by the English against St. Malo p. 252 Maine Lewis Augustus Duke de Maine Commands the French Cavalry at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 Signalizes himself at Neerwinden p. 248 St. Malo see Bombardment Manheim a strong Place in the Palatinate p. 204 Marcin Count de Marcin General of the Spanish Forces marches to the Relief of L' Isle p. 66 Is Routed p. ibid. Mardick a Fort. p. 13 Maria Theresia Queen of France see Austria Maria Adelhida Dutches of Burgundy see Savoy Marsal granted to the King p. 80 Mastrick besieged by the King p. 103 Taken p. 106 Besieged by the Prince of Orange p. 135 Mayence besieged p. 215 Taken p. 217 Mazarine Julius Cardinal Premier Minister under the Regency of the Queen Mother p. 2 His Conference with Don Lewis de Haro p. 18 His Death p. 22 Mehaigne a small River near Namur p. 235 Messina shakes off the Spanish Yoke p. 136 Metz Chamber of Re-union established at Metz. p. 174 Mirc-Court the ordinary Place of Residence of Charles IV. Duke of Lorrain p. 81 Missionaries preach among the Calvinists p. 189 Mons besieged and taken by the King p. 228 Montausier Charles Duke of Peer of France Governour to Lewis Dauphine p. 170 Montmelian taken p. 231 Montecuculi Count of his Character p. 129 Munster Bernhard-van Galen Bishop of invades Holland p. 58 Joyns his Troops with the French in the Dutch War p. 93 Declares against France p. 111 N. Namur besieged by the King and taken p. 233. Besieged by the Allies p. 271 Nancy fortified by the King p. 107 Naerden a small Place in Holland
groaned under followed blindfold the inclinations of their Leaders Add to this the want of Courage in the Chief Minister which induced him to lay hold of that most destructive Maxim of State To prefer only such as he dreaded most This fatal concourse of different Interests and Passions proved the source of such divisions and intestine Commotions as shook the very foundation of the French Monarchy Whilst the Kingdom was involved in these Troubles the King's Education was in a manner neglected by those to who 's Tuition it was committed who made it their chiefest care to carry the young King from one Province to another to shew him to his People in hopes to restore by this last effort the decay'd and languishing Authority of the Government and by his Royal Prefence to keep them in Obedience Notwithstanding all these Obstacles Happy presages of his Youth the King began to give most evident proofs of his great and generous Inclinations for when he was scarce twelve years of Age such was his happy Genius that there appeared a discretion and reservedness in all his Actions much above what could be expected from so tender an Age shewing not the least inclination to those things which are the ordinary diversions of Children but an uncommon eagerness to be instructed in all manner of Exercises and a singular delight in hearing the relations of great and memorable Exploits These were the chief Entertainments of his Youth and it was always observed that if any thing happened to be related to him that was either above the common rate in its undertaking or surprising in its event there appear'd such a sprightliness in his Eves and whole Countenance as sufficiently testified his desire of signalizing himself by some memorable Action Is a Spectator of the Battle of St. Anthony July 2 1652. Full of this Noble Idea he waited with impatience for the time which might furnish him with an opportunity of giving real demonstrations of his great Inclinations and he was not quite 14 years of Age when knowing that his Army was ready to engage the Prince of Conde he entreated and pressed them so earnestly that to satisfie his most glorious desire they were obliged to place him on a certain Eminence where he could be a Spectator at least of a great part of the Engagement Lewis of Bourbon II Prince of Conde The Prince of Conde had for the last six years past been the Hero and chief Supporter of the Royal Party It was he that had gain'd the Battles of Rocroy Fribourg Nortlingen and Lentz And it was also the same Prince of Conde who at the beginning of the intestine commotions was so fortunate or rather dextrous as to block up the City of Paris with 7 or 8000 Men. 1649. There was something great and sublime above the rest of Mankind in this Prince He was endowed with a Courage undaunted in the midst of all Dangers His skill in Martial affairs was beyond what can be imagined or express'd On the day of Battle nothing was comparable to his Conduct either in choosing the advantage of the Ground or ordering and disposing his Troops in order of Battle or retiring and sustaining them with fresh Forces no body beyond him in pushing on an Attack with the utmost Vigour and in the heat of the Engagement to possess himself of an advantageous Post and to change the disposition of his Troops according to the various accidents and revolutions of the Battle a happy conjunction of many extraordinary Qualities if those great Souls elevated above the common Sphere were also capable of moderation His aspiring Genius nourished by evil Counsels prompted him to take up Arms against the King and having assembled a Body of Troops after several marches and counter-marches he at last posted himself near St. Cloue trusting to the nearness of the Bridge which might serve him for a safe retreat to avoid an engagement in case he should be attack'd by his Enemies who were superiour in number to him The two Marshals de Turenne and de la Ferte commanded two separate Bodies who to make sure work intended to inclose him betwixt their two Armies which the Prince having soon taken notice of he broke up from St. Cloue with an intention to march to Charenton and to entrench himself near that Bridge where by the nearness of the two Rivers Seyne and Marne it would be impossible to force his Camp The shortest way was to march thro' Paris but fearing least his Army should be considerably diminish'd by desertion in his march thro' the City or that the Citizens might deny him a Passage he changed his resolution and ordered his Troops to march round about as near the Suburbs as possibly could be He marched with all possible speed and precaution notwithstanding which Henry de la Tour d'Auvergne Vicount of en ne the Viscount of Turenne having got timely notice of it followed him so closely that after some hours march he attack'd him in the Rear and obliged him to come to an Engagement It was a happy chance for the Prince to meet with some old Retrenchments formerly cast up at the entrance of the Suburbs of St. Anthony behind which he posted his Troops to make head against the approaching Enemy He had scarce had leifure to put them in order of Battle when the King's Army animated by his Royal Presence attack'd his Entrenchments with incredible bravery As the King was at that time not much above 13 years of Age those that were about him could not sufficiently admire with what greatness of Courage and without shewing the least symptoms of fear he was an Eye-witness of the Engagement It was the greatest pleasure in the World to observe the various changes in his Countenance the effects of the different transports and motions of his Soul sometimes leaping for joy when he saw his Victorious Troops beat back those of the Prince sometimes blushing not so much for indignation as shame when the Prince forced the Royalists to retreat As in Civil Wars both parties are most incensed with mutual animosities so the bravest of both the Armies signalized themselves by some remarkable Action or other every one being prodigal of his Life to purchase Honour in this first encounter and to snatch the Victory out of his Enemy's Hands which thus remained uncertain for some time till after a bloody Combat of two hours fortune declared for the King whose Troops having made themselves Masters of the Entrenchments marched in good Order thro' the great Street of the Suburbs without any opposition from the Prince But scarce had they advanced half way towards the City when on a sudden they saw the Prince again appear at the head of his bravest Volunteers and other chosen Troops who charged them so vigorously that they forced them to retreat and to seek for shelter in the same Retrenchments from whence they had so lately forced their Enemies This varions chance of
at last it began to be discoursed at Court that the King was to Marry the Princess of Savoy whose Picture being presented to him he took such liking to it that he resolv'd to take a journey to Lyons to see her in Person The Queen was overjoy'd at this Journey in hopes that her Brother would once more consider of the matter and when he found himself in danger of missing this opportunity to shew henceforward as much inclination for the match as he had been opposite to it before Neither did she find her self frustrated in her hopes her wish being accomplished when she expected it least The Spaniards had during this War which lasted four and twenty Years sustained great losses they had been vanquished in six Field Fights and three Sea Engagements besides that they had lost above fifty places of note and the whole Kingdom of Portugal not to mention our Conquests in Germany and those of our Allies together with the many Encounters in most of which they had been miserably beaten By these so terrible and frequent misfortunes the Spanish Monarchy was reduced to so low an ebb that to recover its strength it stood in absolute need of a Peace and the People of Spain being quite exhausted cry'd aloud for it and in terms so pressing that the Council of Spain being cured of its former Repugnancy He Marries the Infanta Maria Theresia Eldest Daughter to Philip IV. King of Spain thought it most advisable to send an Ambassador to offer the Infanta in Marriage to the King It must be confess'd that none of these Obstacles which had hitherto retarded the Marriage were remov'd but it seems the present Exigency was judged more urgent than the danger that was to come or perhaps the Spaniards had raised these difficulties only with an Intention to try whether thereby they might obtain the better conditions of Peace The Queen was so desirous of this Match that it was easie to read the satisfaction she received by the Arrival of the Spanish Ambassador Pimentel with the Propositions in her Face the Articles were very near the same which had been proposed by our Court and every thing being thus agreed to the mutual satisfaction of both Parties it was judged convenient that the Cardinal and Don Lewis de Haro the Chief Ministers of State of both Crowns should have an interview upon the Frontiers to put the finishing stroak to this great Work The Treaties being signed on both sides Interview of the French and Spanish Courts the French Court took a Progress to St. John de Luz to meet the Infanta The King her Father had conducted her thither in Person partly to pay the more respect to our King and partly to take this opportunity to see the Queen his Sister Nothing can be imagined more magnificent than this interview Where-ever you turn'd your Eyes June 6 1660. there was nothing to be seen but the Pomp and Lustre of Precious Stones Gold and Silver every one there present striving to out-do the other in richness and magnificent Apparel with this remarkable difference however that the behaviour of the Spaniards appear'd far short from what was to be observed in our Court. The Politicians who are not so soon dazled with the outward Lustre of Things which are only invented to blind the Eyes of the Common People made certain Remarks at that time upon the appearance of these two Courts from whence they drew certain Presages and erected the Horoscope of both the Empires Our King was then about one and twenty years of Age of a vigorous Constitution Active Vigilant all his Designs tending to Glorious Actions whose principal care was to be always engaged in Affairs of State his Court was composed of Men of the first Rank not inferiour to any in Europe either at the head of an Army or to manage the secrets of the Cabinet besides which there was among all these Princes and other Persons of Quality not one but what made it his chief Ambition to serve him to the utmost of his Power and to sacrifice his Life for the Glory of his King and the welfare of his Country This Noble Emulation was the happy fore-runner of all the brave Actions performed afterwards under the Conduct of so great a King the more because France being a Kingdom abounding in Riches and all other Things Two Years Peace seem'd to be sufficient to repair its losses and to make it more flourishing than before On the contrary in the Spanish Court there was not the same appearance of Prosperity but only the slender remainders of a State that once when in its Splendour had made so great a noise in the World Their King was advanced in Years minding nothing so much as his rest Most of the Grandees had scarce been without the compass of the City of Madrid and were so fond of their own Interests as to look with a very indifferent Eye upon that of the Publick His Treasury was exhausted and the Kingdom destitute both of good Troops and expert Generals at least they had very few who had acquir'd any great Reputation abroad since the Prince of Conde who by his Valour and Conduct had for seven or eight Years upheld the tottering Fortune of that Crown was return'd to his Duty and came into France with all those brave French Volunteers of his Party Without calling to aid the assistance of the Stars it was no very difficult task to foretel in making a due comparison betwixt these two Crowns that one in all likelihood would lay the foundation of her greatness upon the ruins of the other After the Marriage of the King with the Infanta At St. John de Luz June 9th 1660. every thing was prepairing for our return to Paris All along the Road she was received by the King's Order with all the demonstrations of Honour and Respect but the Triumphs in the Provinces thro' which they passed were only the fore-runners of what they were to see in the City of Paris where every thing was prepar'd with an incredible Magnificence for the reception of their new Queen thereby to raise in her at the beginning of her Reign a high esteem of the Power and Riches of a Kingdom which a Foreign War of thirty Years and the Intestine broils of six Years had not been able to drain of its Wealth The King and Queen make their Entry in Paris Aug. 26 1660. Since the first beginning of this Monarchy there never appear'd a more glorious day in France The Streets thro' which they passed were covered with rich Tapestries the Gates adorned with Greens and Flowers the Windows and Balconies on both sides with the finest Carpets in the Squares and Market-places were erected Triumphal Arches beautified with Statues and Paintings not inferiour to what the old Rome could have produced when at the highest pitch of its Glory Besides this there was an incredible number of people flock'd hither from all parts of Europe
of Dueling for it having been judged absolutely necessary for the publick safety that all manner of Duels should be forbidden under pain of Death by the King he look'd upon any Act of Grace in this kind as prejudicial to the Royal Authority and an unseasonable lenity as derogatory from the respect due to the Law which made him take a firm resolution to maintain its Force by inflicting severe punishments upon the Transgressors Neither was it long before the happy effects of the King 's firm Resolution and Zeal for the impartial distribution of Justice appear'd to the Eyes of all the World his Subjects being thereby insensibly brought into a habit of doing well and performing their Duty in their several stations Hence it was that every one enjoy'd the benefit of a Sweet and Charming Tranquillity under the protection of the Laws free from all fear and the avarice of corrupted Judges and the oppressions of the Great ones who if they offered any Violences were sure to come to Condign Punishment The surest way to prevent Factions in a Kingdom is certainly when the Prince by his Authority keeps all the several Orders that compose it within their bounds for the People being thereby engaged to respect no other Authority so much as his own this removes all occasion and danger of Revolts What shall I say as to the most useful Arts and Sciences which without contradiction The King gives Encouragement to all manner of Arts. flourish'd more than ever under a Prince who as he had a true relish of Things so it was his greatest delight to heap Riches and Honours upon Persons of extraordinary merits knowing that nothing turns more to the Honour of the Prince and benefit of the State than to give due encouragement to liberal Arts he drew by his great Liberality into France the most Excellent in all Professions from all parts of Europe with these Foreigners as well as Natives he fill'd up the several Academies erected by his Order for the improvement of all manner of Sciences of Painting Carving Architecture and Musick where these Great Masters and their Scholars strove by a Praise-worthy Emulation to out-vie one another and in their several Stations to bring their Pieces to the heighth of perfection The King to improve the Talent of so many Excellent Masters employed them in making those rich Furnitures and other pieces the like of which are not to be met with in any other part whether for the design or the curiosity of the Workmanship he erected Noble Structures in several parts but especially made use of their skill in the Louvre the Front of which is accounted one of the finest pieces of Architecture in the World The Subjects encouraged by the Example of their Prince began every where to apply themselves to Building especially in the City of Paris which encreased every day by the Additions of many goodly Structures so that in a few Years the Streets of the City of Paris were made broader than before the Cross-ways were adorned with noble Fountains the Channels and River side faced with Free-stone and there was not a Street so mean but there were to be seen some neat Houses built after a manner far different from what they had appear'd before Vast numbers of Strangers and other curious Persons came flocking from all parts to partake of the charming Enjoyments of Peace and Tranquillity in a City where there was great plenty of every thing requisite for the pleasure and necessity of Human Life even at the time of a general scarcity the King having by his own liberality and care supply'd their want and reduced the price of all Things to a reasonable rate But the City of Paris was not the only place that enjoy'd the benefits of his happy Reign He caused Wheat to be distrâ—â—ted at tâ— Louvre 1662. the other Provinces of France had also their share in the publick Felicity the King by affording all imaginable encouragement to Commerce made the whole Country overflow with Riches It is beyond all question that the French could not be ignorant what prodigious advantages must needs accrue by Commerce to such a Country as France which being water'd both by the Ocean and Mediterranean and irrigated by so many fair Rivers seems to be the most conveniently situated for Traffick of any in Europe notwithstanding which it was observable that all manner of Commerce had been neglected for a considerable time either because the Genius of the French Nation is more enclinable to Warlike Exploits than Traffick or because the Civil and Foreign Wars in which the Kingdom had been entangl'd for so many Years together had robed them of these advantages But the King was not sparing in any thing which he believed might contribute to the re-establishment of Trade in the Sea-Ports he made considerable abatements in his Customs most of those that were paid in the Rivers he took off he gave all imaginable encouragement to the Manufacturies of the Kingdom he at his own proper cost and charge employ'd a great number of Workmen to joyn the two Seas by a Canal as well as several Great Rivers and to render many lesser Rivers Navigable he established a certain Council of Commerce to be held in his Presence by whose Advice he created several Companies who trafficking in all parts of the World render'd the Great Name of their Prince Glorious in far distant Countries Besides that he granted them many Privileges they were provided both with Money and Ships by the King to carry on the design and never wanted necessary Convoys to conduct them safely to the place whither they were bound It was upon the score of Commerce that an Expedition was undertaken against the Coast of Barbary The enterprise against Gigery July 19 1664. it being certain that it was not out of a motive of extending his Conquests the King sent thither his Forces but chiefly for the conveniency of a Harbour from whence to annoy and bridle those Insolent Pyrates that are continually disturbing the Trade on those Coasts The success was at first answerable to the design they having made themselves Masters of Gigery and notwithstanding they were ill provided with Provision and Ammunition maintain'd themselves in the place three whole Months But the number of the Enemies encreasing daily and the Plague and Famine which at that time October 31 1664. made great havock on the Coast of Provence having retarded the Convoys designed for their succour they were at last forced to abandon the place and to return into France This Expedition proved thus unfortunate in the end having been undertaken not without great charges besides that we lost some of our best Troops and received some disgrace But this misfortune was abundantly recompensed by the Honour the French had acquir'd two or three Months before The Turks and Tartars having made a most powerful Eruption in Hungary The King sent succour to the Emperor and the German Emperour
Lisle alone held out a Siege of eleven days after opening of the Trenches It is a large City very well Fortified and accounted the most Populous of any in the Spanish Netherlands There were at that time within the City no less than thirty thousand Inhabitants capable of bearing Arms besides four thousand Soldiers and a great number of good Officers and Volunteers who had thrown themselves into the Place to signalize themselves upon this occasion under one of the best and most experienc'd Commanders in the Spanish Service The King having received Advice that the Count de Marcin General of the Spanish Army was on his march to relieve the Place he detach'd the Marshal de Crequi who had joyn'd him before with his Flying Camp to possess himself of all the Avenues thro' which the Count de Marcin must needs approach the place The City being in the mean while forced to Capitulate the King resolved to march streight to the Enemy But the Marshal de Crequi on one and Bernard de Gigant de Bellefons likewise Marshal of France on the other side had saved the King this trouble they having before routed the Spaniards of whom they killed five hundred upon the spot took from them several Standards and Kettle-Drums and three hundred Prisoners among whom were many Colonels and some of their General Officers Count Marcin who was not insensible that the whole fortune of Flanders depended on his Army thought it most advisable to make a safe retreat and to throw his Troops into such places as were most exposed to the Victorious Enemy This prodigious progress of the King's Arms did alarm all the Neighbouring Princes who did not without great reason fear that the next Campaign he would like a torrent over-run all the rest of the Spanish Netherlands There had for many Years last past been an implacable hatred between the Spaniards and Dutch but as Love and Hatred among Sovereigns are swayed by Interest these two Nations setting aside all former Animosities were soon reconciled when the last being terrified by the late success of our Arms found their own security to depend on the preservation of the first to stop the Progress of the King's Conquests and to preserve Flanders from falling into his Hands the Hollanders enter'd into a League with England and Sueden by virtue of which Jan. 23. 1668. these three engaged themselves to furnish each of them fifteen thousand Men besides their quota at Sea for the defence of Flanders This League was called the Tripple Alliance But as their chief aim was rather to terrifie both Parties into a compliance than to enter into an open War they offer'd their Mediation with this Solemn Declaration that they were ready to take up Arms against either of these two Crowns which they should find averse to the Peace The King tho' in the midst of the Career of his Victories yet was not unwilling to hearken to their Propositions and notwithstanding what he had taken from the Spaniards did fall far short from what his just Pretensions were on the Queen's account yet he offer'd to rest contented with his Conquests A Treaty was therefore agreed on to be set on Foot at Aix la Chapelle to compose these differences But the Spanish Ambassadours only endeavouring to gain time by delays the King to oblige them to a more ready compliance and not to let slip any opportunity of pursuing his Right Fel 1668. conquer'd the Franche Compte in the very heart of the Winter Neither the Frosts nor Snow neither the overflowing of the Rivers nor badness of the Ways were able to stay him at home nor to prevent his march but with an eagerness suitable to the greatness of his design he appear'd at the Head of his Army with such success that the whole Province submitted within the space of eight days A Conquest so sudden did not only surprize the Spaniards but also the Mediators to that degree that without any further tergiversations they offer'd to grant the King 's former demands provided he would restore the Franche Compte The King was unwilling to part with so fair a Province extreamly convenient for its situation but the Love of Peace prevailing over his Interest he resolv'd rather to abandon that Province than to continue the War at a time when the Allies being more powerful at Sea than the French might in all probability have made an attempt upon our Coasts or at least have ruin'd our Trade at Sea A Peace was therefore concluded at Aix la Chapelle on the Second of May in the Year 1668. by Virtue of which our King restor'd to the Spaniards the Franche Compte all their Fortifications demolish'd and these resign'd to the King all the places they had Conquer'd in Flanders with their dependencies This Peace was soon follow'd by the re-establishment of an union in the Church Jansenism suppress'd in France which for these fifteen or twenty Years last past had been interrupted by some disputes about the true nature of Grace and were risen to that pitch as to threaten the Church and State with great Commotions if by the prudent Care of the King the Tempest had not been laid and a perfect Calm introduc'd The most surprising thing in the World That Religion which should be the strictest tye of Charity among Men proves two frequently the scource of Contests and Divisions What is more frequent than to see Mankind follow blindfold the opinion of their Leaders with so much Zeal as to involve the State in a Civil War a Prince therefore who truly understands his Interest can never be too watchful to keep a strict Hand over those who sow the first Seeds of these Discords and when he has nipp'd them in the bud to take effectual care to prevent them from growing again and taking root among his Subjects As it is beyond question that Mankind are not capable of performing any good Works meriting Eternal Salvation without God's Grace so it is very difficult to determine in what manner this Grace operates in us This is one of those Mystery's which are not to be attempted without great hazard the scrutiny proving frequently dangerous to the Undertaker who flatters himself to exhaust their meaning rather by subtilities than a plain interpretation Into what gross errors are we not apt to fall when flattering our selves to be more quick-sighted than others we bid farewel to true Humility and Submission Under Pope Clement VIII this point first began to be call'd in question betwixt two Religious Orders who in order to take cognisance of the matter appointed a Congregation composed of Cardinals and the most Learned Divines in Rome Pope Paul V. reviv'd the said Congregation with an intention to give a final decision in the matter but the differences arisen betwixt him and the Venetians having diverted his thoughts another way all these great preparations produc'd no other effect but only a Decree from the Court of Inquisition forbiding all
attention of all Europe to see these two great Captains to use their utmost Endeavours to outvie one another in their swift Marches in their Encampments and to make use of all the most refined Stratagems to prevent one another from gairing the least advantage The Viscount de Turenne had nevertheless the good Fortune to pass the Rhine almost in sight of the Confederate Army which done he possess'd himself of so advantageous a Post that without the least fear of being forced in his Entrenchments he might cut off the necessary Convoys from the Enemy An Action so Glorious which had broken all the Measures of his Rival at one stroke was look'd upon by all Europe to be equivalent to a Victory But the Viscount de Turenne not satisfied with this Advantage unless he had also routed the Confederate Army had enclosed them so narrowly on all sides that it was impossible for them to march off without coming to handy Blows In order to this he went out of his Camp on the 27th of July to view a certain place where he intended to raise a Battery the better to annoy the Enemy where he was unfortunately slain by a Cannon-shot The Death of the Marshal de Turenne which struck against his Breast and laid him dead upon the Ground Never was any General more universally lamented neither did ever any one deserve it better He was a Person of extraordinary Merit a Great Captain and excellent Politician a Man equally modest and agreeable in Conversation who despised Riches and was an Enemy to Pride who was never backward in doing all the good he could and never known to do harm to any Body all his Passion being directed to glorious Actions It is not to be express'd how sensibly the King was touch'd with the loss of so great a Man he heap'd Honours and Riches upon his Family The Viscount dyed without Children and to give the most ample Testimonies of the Value he put upon his pass'd Services and to Crown the Vertues of so great a Man with due Rewards he caused most magnificent Obsequies to be made in the Church of Paris and order'd his Corps to be deposited in the Abbey of St. Denys the ordinary Burying place of the Kings of France But the greatest ornament of the whole Funeral Pomp was the inexpressible sorrow which appear'd in the Countenance of all the Chief Men of the Kingdom and the everlasting Memory of his great and Glorious Actions But to return to the Rhine the Viscount de Turenne having not communicated his design to any of his Lieutenant-Generals the Count de Lorge his Nephew afterwards made Duke Peer and Marshal of France took upon him the Command of the Army and immediately after his Death repass'd the Rhine and intrench'd himself on the other side till further Orders from the King The Enemy during his Retreat Attack'd him in the Rear but were so vigorously received by the French that they lost above four thousand Men upon this occasion nevertheless the Count de Lorge was not strong enough to prevent Montecuculi from passing the Rhine and marching into the Lower Alsace The French Army was at that time in a very ill Condition in want of Provision and Forage much diminish'd by Sickness and Mortality and so dejected by the loss of their General that it was feared they would have been quite dispersed if the Prince of Conde who by the King's Orders posted in all haste thither from Flanders had not found means to raise their drooping Courage by his Presence Notwithstanding which the Count of Montecuculi laid Siege to the City of Hagenau in August and in the Month of September following fat down before Saverne but upon intelligence that the Prince was marching to their Relief he quitted both these Enterprizes At last towards the latter end of the Campaign the Imperialists were obliged to repass the Rhine and to take up their Winter-Quarters in the Confederate Territories But the Dukes of Zell and Lorrain had much better Success in the Siege of Treves Siege of Treves For these Princes being advertized that the Marshal de Crequy at the Head of an Army was marching to the Relief of the Place left a good Body for the guard of their Trenches and other Works and march'd with a Body of near twenty Thousand Men to meet the Enemy The Marshal had not above nine or ten Thousand Men with him notwithstanding this inequality of their Number he resolved to try his Fortune There are certain happy Moments when we have known a handful of brave resolute Fellows to have driven before them and cut in pieces a whole Army but these Fortunate Moments are so rare that it is more expedient to relie upon the number and equality of our Troops than upon these Accidents To be short Defeat of the Marshal de Crequy this Day proved unfortunate to the Marshal de Crequy for his Infantry being ill seconded by the Cavalry he was entirely defeated and his small Army put to the Rout and dispersed in such a manner that he himself with only three more was forced to shelter themselves in an adjacent Wood from whence he found means to get into Treves He defended the place for three Weeks after with incredible Bravery against his Victorious Enemy and would not-hearken to any Propositions of Surrender tho all the Out-works were taken and that there were several large Breaches in the Walls of the Place The Garrison headed by some mutinous Officers were so exasperated at this desperate Resolution that they resolved to capitulate without him and accordingly surrendred him and many other of the French Officers to the Allies This being the first Campaign which since the beginning of this War had proved prosperous to the Confederates they were so puffed up with their late Success that forgetting their former Misfortunes and the many Advantages we had over them they began to boast that in the next Spring they intended to put their so long projected great design in execution But it was not long before the King made them sufficiently sensible that by the loss of a Place and four or five Thousand Men he was not become less powerful than before For after having Besieged and Taken the City of Conde by assault Conde taken April the 26th towards the latter end of April he ordred the Duke of Orleans to Besiege Bouchain whilst he himself with the head Army covered the Siege to make head against the Enemy in case they should come to its relief The Governour of the Spanish Netherlands and the Prince of Orange brought together a good Army in order as it was believed to attempt the Relief of the Place but judging it not advisable to attack the King they entrenched themselves under the Cannon of Valenciennes in hopes to meet with a favourable opportunity to throw some Supplies of Men and Provisions into Bouchain but they reap'd no other advantage by it than to be Eye-Witnesses of
Siege cost the Enemy such a vast number of brave Men that a conquest bought at so dear a rate may well be judged less advantageous when attended with such fatal Consequences For the Confederate Army was reduc'd to so ill a condition after this Siege that the French who observ'd them narrowly in all their motions soon after oblig'd them as they did the Year before to seek for Winter-Quarters in their own Territories and to recruit their broken Troops The next following Year the King open'd the Campaign with the Conquest of Valenciennes Cambray and St. Omer Campaign of 1677. and a Signal Victory obtain'd over the Confederate Army in a pitch'd Battle one of the most famous Expeditions that has been undertaken for these several Ages past whether in consideration of the renown and strength of the abovementioned Places or in respect of the little time the King spent in conquering them in a Season when for want of Forage there was but small likelihood of succeeding in such an Enterprise The City of Cambray is Situate at the very entrance of Flanders where it joyn'd on our Frontiers and was consequently very incommodious to us the Garrison having often carried Fire and Flame into our Territories as far as the Isle of France from whence they used to draw great Contributions sufficient to entertain a good number of Troops who frequently play'd the Masters over us in these parts when for the rest we gave Laws to all the Spanish Netherlands The Situation of St. Omer was such as to be in a condition to make frequent Excursions into the Province of Artois and the Boulonnese Territories Valenciennes was of as great consequence to us as the other two but tho' the King was not ignorant long before of the advantage of the Conquest of these three places yet considering their strength we durst scarce flatter our selves to be able to undertake such an Expedition as to Besiege them all three at once or if we did there appear'd but little likelihood of succeeding in so great an undertaking There was in Valenciennes at that time Valenciennes besieged a Garrison of three thousand Foot and a thousand Horse besides two thousand of the Inhabitants trained up in the Exercise of Arms and a considerable number of Gentlemen who had thrown themselves into the Place to signalize themselves in its Defence The City was secured on one side by the Watery and boggy Grounds on the other by many large Out-Works surrounded with deep Ditches full of Water The Inhabitants over-confident in the strength of the Place and recalling to their Memory the disgrace which the Marshal de la Ferte receiv'd before that Place in the Year 1656 were puff'd up with so much Vanity that when the King sat down before the Place in lieu of being alarm'd at it they shew'd not the least concern in the World but pass'd their time in Feasting and other Rejoycings and gave Balls upon their Bastions But this Vain-Glory soon vanish'd and it may be said without the least contradiction to Truth that there is scarce an Example to be found where a place of such strength and so much reputation has made a more faint resistance than this In the foregoing Year the King had made himself Master of Conde and Bouchain one of which being situate above the other below Valenciennes he by posting a good Body of Horse near these two places had kept this City block'd up thegreatest part of the Winter It was Invested on the first Day of March and the King being arrived on the fourth of the same Month in the Camp the Trenches were opened betwixt the eighth and ninth and push'd on the same Night for above sixteen hundred Paces The chief Attack was carried on against a Crown-Work containing within its compass a half Moon and behind that a Ravelin call'd the Pasty Our Cannon and Bombs had done great Execution upon these Out-Works for several Days together when it was resolv'd to give the Assault on the next Morning by eight a Clock The Troops Commanded to give the Assault fell like Lions in four several places upon the Counterscarp with so much fury that the Enemy not being able to sustain them first gave way and soon after betook themselves to flight Being pursued by the French they retreated into the Crown-Work but with so much precipitation that our Men enter'd pell mell with them and attacking them in Front Rear and Flank cut eight hundred of them in pieces the rest who endeavour'd to save themselves by flight were beaten from Post to Post with such an incredible Courage that being quite frighted out of their senses they neglected to draw up the Bridge which joyn'd to the Out-work The Conquering Soldiers encourag'd as much by the opportunity as the good Success make themselves Masters of the Bridge and whilst the rest are busie in breaking open the Gates with Hatchets some got upon the top of the next Bastion by the help of Ladders turn the Cannon against the Town whilst their Comerades that were got in thro' the Gates marched into the City and barricado'd themselves in the great Street in sight of the Garrison and the City Militia who being struck with a Panick fear at the boldness of the Enterprize Valenciennes takon by Assault threw down their Arms and without any further Capitulation surrender'd at Discretion Who is so ignorant as not to be sensible what prodigious Disorders used to be committed in the ransacking of a Town taken by Assault when the enraged Soldier makes the Inhabitants without the least difference of Age Quality or Sex feel the effects of his Fury The dreadful Idea of all these Disasters their late unseasonable Bravadoes and that implacable hatred which they had shewn against the French upon many occasions made the Inhabitants not without great reason tremble at the sight of their Conquering Enemies But it was not long that they were in fear of becoming a prey and Victim to the French Soldiers a few Minutes having deliver'd them from these direful apprehensions for no sooner had the King been advertised of what had passed but he sent Messenger after Messenger to forbid the plundering of the City The Soldiers had already began with some of the adjacent Houses five or six had been forced to feel the effects of those misfortunes which happen in the pillaging of a Place taken by Assault and 't was fear'd that the unruly Soldiers would scarce be prevail'd upon to let slip so fair an opportunity of satisfying both their Avarice and Revenge and to be deaf to the Orders of their Commanders but no sooner were they forbidden in the King's Name to plunder the City but all violence ceased in an instant to the great astonishment of the whole City who could not but stand amaz'd at the submission of the Soldiery in the midst of their fury who gave such eminent marks of their Obedience to the King's pleasure by their alacrity in gaining the
and Money the Prince judged it most for his Purpose to make his application to the Court of England The English at that time overflow'd in Riches they had in a manner managed all the Traffick of Europe alone for three Years last past Their great affluence of Riches had made them jealous of our King 's growing Power and being besides this desirous of Glory and of signalizing themselves abroad they earnestly wished for a War with France which had made them more than once to sollicite King Charles II. to enter into the Confederacy This appearing a favourable juncture to the Prince of Orange's Design he undertook a Journey to London as well to engage that King in an Alliance against us as to espouse the eldest Daughter of the Duke of York The Prince of Orange being K. Charles II. his Nephew was much beloved and esteemed by him The Prince's Religion his great Capacity and Riches his Aversion to France and his great Interest in Holland had procured him great and many Friends in both Houses of Parliament It is easie to be imagined that upon this occasion he made use of all his Engines to draw his Uncle into the Confederacy for which reason he perswaded him to project certain Propositions of Peace and to declare against those that should refuse to accept of them League betwixt England and Holland France being unwilling to hearken to these Conditions great Levies were made in England and some of their Troops were transported into Flanders But neither this New League neither the English Auxiliary Troops were sufficient to stop the Progress of our King 's Victorious Arms or to hinder him from making new Conquests in the next Spring The better to cover his design Campaign in 1678. he took a Progress into Lorrain the beginning of February where he continued all that Month with the Queen and the whole Court During this Progress his Armies in Flanders in Germany and Lorrain were continually in motion so that these Marches and Countermarches did amuse the Enemy to that degree that it was impossible for them to judge which of their Places was most in danger and consequently to take any sure Measures for the security of such places as they thought most exposed for fear of leaving others unprovided in case of an Attack For the King having his Magazines well provided with every thing necessary for the carrying on four or five Sieges at a time from the Sea to the Rhine the Confederates were put under a necessity of fearing all without being able to guess whereabouts the Storm would fall Whilst they were under this perplexity the Marshal de Humiers made a faint as if he intended to Besiege Ipres which obliged the Governour of the Spanish Netherlands to send thither a great part of the Garrison of Ghent But scarce were they on their March towards Ipres when the City of Ghent it self was invested by threescore Thousand Men who were order'd thither from all the circumjacent places and at the same time Ipres Charlemont Namur Mons and Luxenburgh where the Confederates had disposed most of their best Troops were block'd up by several flying Armies Ghent has always been esteemed the largest City of the Low Countries Siege of Ghent it has a good Citadel with very fair Out-works a strong Wall surrounded with a large and deep Ditch Its Fortifications the number and Martial Inclination of its Inhabitants besides its low situation in a Marshy Ground at the Confluence of three Rivers and two Canals which serve for a Barricado against an approaching Enemy did render this Enterprise so difficult in the Eyes of all the World that after the Siege was begun the News of it scarce met with credit in the Neighbouring Countries The King had taken such measures and his Orders were obey'd with such exactness and alacrity that tho' the Place had not been Invested above three Days when he arriv'd in the Camp the Lines of Circumvallation which contain'd eight Leagues in compass were very near brought to perfection notwithstanding the rainy Season and the many difficulties which were to be surmounted in these marshy Grounds It was extreamly bad Weather when he set out from Stenay notwithstanding which he travelled above sixty large Leagues in less than three Days and arrived in the Camp before Ghent on the 4th of March when without dismounting from his Horse or taking the least refreshment or repose he took in Person a view of the Place and all the Works the Governour of Ghent having the same Day open'd the Sluices the King order'd so many Dikes and Ditches for the draining of the Ground to be made that his Forces received no considerable damage by the Water and were preserv'd in so good a condition as to make themselves Masters the next Day of the Counterscarp and some Out-Works Nevertheless this great City defended it self for some time longer till the Inhabitants being made sensible of the effects of our Bombs Carcasses and fiery Bullets which flew as thick as Hail-stones and destroy'd their Houses they beat a Parley The next day after the Citadel was besieg'd by Noon-day Ghent taken which being defended by four good Bastions and a Garrison of a thousand Men yet was forc'd to surrender on the third Day after opening of the Trenches After the taking of Ghent Ypress besieged the King without loosing any time marched directly to Ipress a well Fortified City and conveniently situated for the King to keep correspondence with and secure his other Conquests thereabouts The Spaniards had lately drawn out of the place two Battallions of their best Men whom they sent to Bruges to reinforce that Garrison nevertheless there was at the beginning of the Siege a Garrison consisting of three thousand effective Men old and well disciplin'd Troops besides a great number of brave Officers and Voluntiers who by their Example encouraged the Soldiers to make a vigorous Defence But by the bravery of our Troops the Trenches were carried on to the Glacis and Counterscarp and after a bloody Engagement taken with Sword in Hand so the City and Citadel being without any hopes of relief Capitulated at the same time The Siege cost us abundance of Men tho' it lasted not above nine Days after the opening of the Trenches by reason that the French were not only to overcome the obstinacy of the Besieged who defended themselves very valiantly but also the rigour of the cold Season and the inconveniencies of continual Rains The King's Arms being thus every where crown'd with Success it seem'd that nothing was able to resist his Power those Princes that were enter'd into a League against him having for four Years together rais'd no other advantage by the Confederacy than to add new Lustre to his Glory and Power He had at that time two great Fleets at Sea and five Armies on Land which together with his Garrisons consisted of sixty thousand Horse and two hundred and forty thousand Foot all
the French shoar The King being not ignorant of this Design to encourage his Subjects and take all necessary Precautions the King ordered a good Army to serve as a Guard of his Sea-Costs under the Command of his only Brother the Duke of Orleance The precaution as it was founded upon a sure Maxim of Prudence so it prov'd useless in its Consequence For all these vast Preparations and Threats vanished into Smoak the Troops design'd for this pretended Expedition being sent into Flanders which was only made use of to oblige our King to remove part of his Forces from the Frontiers to defend his own Coasts But this Amusement which was not carried on without vast Expences turn'd but to a very slender Account on the Enemies side without reaping any other Advantage by it than to Alarm our Sea-Coasts with the danger of an Invasion which being soon vanished the People took fresh Courage and were prepared to encounter it with less Surprize for the future For the King was so far from shewing the least Fear upon this Occasion that he attack'd the Enemies with new Vigour on all sides The Marshal de Noailles besieged Roses in Catalonia which place Roses taken tho' considerable for its Strength he took in eight days after opening of the Trenches to wit on the 29th of July Smyrna Fleet intercepted by Tourville The Marshal de Tourville was ordered towards the Streights to intercept the Smyrna Fleet of the English and Dutch of which he on the 29th of June betwixt Cadiz and the Bay of Lagos took burnt and sunk above fourscore Merchant men The rest were dispersed and the Squadron of Men of War which serv'd for a Convoy made the best of their Way towards the English Coast For many Years before neither of these two Nations had received such a Check in their Trade their Loss being esteem'd at thirty Millions of Livres In the beginning of this Spring our King appearing in Person in Flanders it was the general Rumour that he aim'd at Liege but after having given his final Orders concerning the Operation of the Campaign and detach'd near thirty thousand Men under the Command of the Dauphin to reinforce his Army near the Rhine he return'd into France The Mashal de Lorge had in the Month of May Heidelbergh taken and rased by the French made himself Master of Heidelbergh the Capital City of the whole Palatinate before the Enemy could march to its Relief and after having rased the Fortifications both of the City and Castle was marched directly against the Prince of Baden who Commanded the Confederate Army on that side and at the approach of the Marshal retreated before him but after the arrival of the Dauphin with the beforementioned Detachment he entrenched himself strongly at a Pass which he knew impossible to be forced chusing rather to undergo the Inconveniencies of Famine and many Distempers which afflicted his Troops in these inaccessible Places than to hazard a Battle or to decamp before the Dauphin for fear he should force him to come to an Engagement The Prince of Orange K. William III. did not entrench himself but kept the open Field in Flanders yet so as to avoid all Occasions of Fighting The Duke of Luxenburgh who had positive Orders from the King to engage him fained to march towards Liege to attack the Lines and Redoubts which surround that great City This succeeded according to expectation for the Confederate Army advancing near to the Duke to be ready to succour the City the Duke marched directly towards them and arrived in sight of their Camp about six or seven a Clock at Night The Prince of Orange K. William III. was not a little surprised at the suddenness of his March but finding himself under a Necessity to stand an Engagement the next Day he improv'd those few Hours he had to his best Advantage in putting his Troops in Order of Battle raising Batteries in convenient Places in fixing Pallisadoes at the Avenues leading to his Camp he caused two Villages which covered his Right and Left to be Fortified and lin'd the Houses and circumjacent Hedges with his best Infantry and strengthned his Front which reached to and took up all the Ground betwixt these two Villages He employed a great number of Pioneers all the Night long in making a Ditch six Foot broad and three quarters of a League long strengthned without with good Pallisadoes and defended within by a good Line and Redoubts upon which were mounted near a hundred pieces of Cannon The main Body stood behind this Entrenchment sustained by the Cavalry which was posted behind them in two Lines They were the finest Troops that could be seen On the other hand is it possible to imagine that our Soldiers could be so courageous or rather Fool-hardy enough to attempt the attacking of sixty thousand brave Men guarded by such strong Entrenchments The great Artillery began to play at break of Day Battle of Neerwinden 29. July on both sides without intermission till four a Clock in the Afternoon That of the Enemies did great Execution among us being placed upon an Eminency which commanded the Plain The oldest Officers did acknowledge never to have seen Cannon to play with so much Fury and at so little a distance for so long a time together which at a distance resembled more a Sea-Engagement than a Field-Battle The Enemies fired more frequently than we and their Artillery did much more Execution so that this Victory must be meerly ascribed to the invincible Courage of our Soldiery and it must be acknowledged that Philip Duke de Chartres the Duke of Bourbon and de Maine the Prince of Conty and the Count de Thoulouse had a great share in the Success of this Day There was not a Battallion in both the Army 's but what was Engaged in the Battle but the chief Attack was at a Village call'd Neerwinden which covered the Right Wing This Village was taken and retaken twice with great Slaughter till at last our Troops having maintained and strengthned themselves in this Post they entred the Plain and attacked the Enemy both in Front and Flank who received us very Courageously especially the English in the main Body who Charged six times with incredible Bravery but their Cavalry being brought into Confusion and drove into a River the whole Army begun to disperse and to quit the Field by whole Troops and Companies leaving the Victorious Enemy Master of the Field with threescore and sixteen pieces of Cannon eight Mortars nine Patteroons twelve pair of Kettle-Drums abundance of Arms threescore Standards two and twenty Colours and above two thousand Prisoners among whom were two hundred Officers The French lost above three thousand Men killed and four thousand wounded The Loss of the Enemy amounted to near twenty thousand Men both in the Engagement and Flight there being a great number drown'd in endeavouring to Ford the River which for a considerable time after was rendred
the Reduction of the Place The King endeavoured by all means possible to bring them to a Battle but they were as careful to avoid it not having made the least motion but remaining in their advantageous Station for two Months together whilst the King remain'd on the Frontiers But no sooner had the King left the Army Siege of Mastrich and was returning into France when the Prince of Orange with the Dutch Army in conjunction with the Spaniards and some Auxiliary Troops of several German Princes who commanded their Forces in Person laid Siege to the strong City of Mastricht The King being sufficiently assured that the present condition of the Place provided with all Necessaries for a vigorous defence together with the Bravery of the Garrison and the invincible Courage and Experience of the Deputy Governour the Count de Calva a Catalonian by Birth who commanded in the Governour 's Absence would keep the Enemy in play for some time before they should stand in need of any relief took the advantage of this opportunity and whilst the Enemy was busied in that Siege he ordred the Marshal de Humiers to sit down before Aire one of the strongest and most considerable of that Country situate on the Frontiers of the Province of Artois The Marshal having made himself Master of it in five Days he attack'd the strong Fort of Linck which being soon forced to follow the Example of Aire the whole French Army by easie Marches moved under the Command of the Marshal Duke Frederick of Schomberg towards Mastricht The Besiegers had been employed in the Siege for near seven Weeks without having been able to make themselves Masters of the Counterscarp or any Out-works they had made many and very furious Attacks but had been always repulsed with great loss and their Army being by the many Sallies and Mines of the Besieged as well as by Mortality reduc'd to one half of what it was at the beginning of the Siege they judged it most advisable to decamp Siege of Mastricht raised Aug. 26. and to quit the Siege so soon as they saw the French Army approach towards their Lines they retreated with so much Precipitation that they left behind them fifty pieces of great Cannon for Battery six Thousand Musquets all their Provision and Ammunition with a great number of sick and wounded Soldiers The-Fleet which the States-General had sent into the Mediterranean Victories obtained in Sicily to endeavour the Recovery of Messina which City two Years before had shaken off the Spanish Yoak more out of a hatred of the Spaniards than a real love of Liberty had no better success than the rest It is certain that France had not been in the least concerned in this Rebellion but the King being two wise not to lay hold of so favourable a juncture and to improve it to his own advantage he sent them some Supplies which at first were but inconsiderable but were by degrees strengthened by several Reinforcements Lewis Vivone Spaniards beaten at Sea Duke Peer and Marshal of France beat the Spanish Fleet that block'd up the Harbour of Messina and brought a good supply of Provision and Ammunition into the Place on the 11th of April in the Year 1675. and in the same Summer in the Month of August made himself Master of Agousta a Port of no less consequence and conveniency than the former The Spaniards being put under no small apprehension of losing the whole Island of Sicily solicited the Hollanders to send a Fleet to their assistance into the Mediterranean and at the same time obtained from the States that the said Fleet should be commanded by Admiral Ruyter the most famous Commander at Sea at that time in all Europe Our King gave the Command of his Fleet to another brave Seaman who tho less famous yet was not inferiour to the other in Skill and Experience in Maritime Affairs This was one called Duquesne born at Diepe who from a simple Seamen as well as Admiral Ruyter had raised himself to the Supream Command of a Fleet. Both Fleets joyn'd in Battle in January in the Year 1676. The Engagement was so terrible and furious that according to the Letter written by Admiral Ruyter himself he never faw any thing like it in all his Life before But Duquesne forced the Hollanders to retreat and to leave a free Passage for his Ships into the Port of Messina which he entred in Triumph with his whole Squadron and the Convoy In the April next following the Dutch in conjunction with the Spaniards having attack'd the Port of Agousta Duquesne forced them to quit the Enterprize This Engagement was very bloody Admiâ—al Ruyter killed Ruyter himself received three Wounds one in the Head another in the Thigh and the third in the Foot of which he died in ten Days after The Enemies being put into a great Consternation by the loss of their Admiral durst not appear any longer at Sea but retired to Palermo to refit and to expect a fresh Reinforcemont But the Marshal and Duke de Vivone resolving to give them a Visit before they could be reinforced with fresh Supplies set Sail with his Squadron towards Palermo where he arrived on the second of January following he found them riding at Anchor at the very entrance of the Port in very good order but no sooner had he sent some Fire-Ships among them which set two or three of their Ships on Fire but the rest either ran a-shoar sunk themselves or blew up in the Air some few getting into the Port. The Ennemies lost twelve of their best Ships in this occasion The Dutch Fleet burnt in the Port of Palermo six Gallies with seven hundred pieces of Cannon and above five thousand Men. The Houses odjoyning to the Port and the whole lower Town were much endamaged by the pieces of Iron Bars and the broken Cannon and Ships which by the force of the Powder were thrown into the place and crush'd all to pieces where-ever they happen'd to fall The Marshal having obtain'd this Victory which was one of the most compleat that had been obtain'd for many Years before without any considerable loss on his side made all Italy tremble especially when they saw the French within two Months after Masters of Taormine of Sealette of St. Placida and many other small places along the Sicilian Coast The Confederates took in the Month of September the strong Fortress of Philipsburgh Philipsburgh taken by the Allies which after a whole Years Blockade and a Siege of three Months had been forc'd to Capitulate but the taking of this Place was look'd upon as a slender equivalent to counterbalance the losses the Allies had sustain'd this Campaign in other places It must be confess'd that Philipsbourg is a Place of great consequence both in respect of its Fortifications and Situation as being the inlet into Alsace and a Bridle to the Palatinate but it ought also to be consider'd that this long
Employment consists in pillaging and plundering several of their Ships were sunk the Sieur Du Quesne burnt eight more in the Port of Chio in the Year 1681 and the Marshal de Estree Vice-Admiral of France Tripoli Bombarded in 1685. Bombarded Tripoli four Years after till at last at the Intercession of the Grand Seignior the King was pleased to grant them a Peace a second time The Algerines the most famous of all the Pyrates on the Coast of Barbary for having in the last Age out-braved the power of that great Monarch Charles V. were so presumptuous as to declare War against France To chastise their Insolence the City of Algier was Bombarded three several times In the Year 1682 1683 1684. after the second Bombardment they were forced to release six hundred French Slaves without Ransom and in the third they received so much damage that notwithstanding the Offers of the Genoueses and Spaniards to assist them against us they sent their Deputies into France to sue for Peace The Genoueses had also given great occasion of Displeasure to our King They were accused of having fomented and encouraged a Conspiracy which was laid to burn the King's Ships and Gallies in the Ports of Marseilles and Thoulon they had lately embraced the Interest and Protection of Spain and had built four new Gallies in order to joyn them with the Spanish Squadron To make them sensible of their errour the King ordered the City of Genoua to be Bombarded Thirteen Thousand Bombs were thrown into the City with good Success and the proud City of Genoua would certainly have been laid quite in Ashes by a second Bombardment Genoua Bombarded if by the Intercession of the Pope and their timely repentance they had not prevented their own ruine The King of Spain had at that time among other Titles taken upon him that of the Protector of the Republick of Genoua but could not prevail with our King that the said Commonwealth should be comprehended in the Truce which was about the same time concluded betwixt these two Crowns but to extirpate their former Miscarriages they were forced to send in the Year 1685. in May their Doge with four Senators to make their Submission to the King in the Name of the whole Republick to implore his Mercy and to receive such Conditions as he was pleased to grant them But we have detain'd our selves too long in relating these Trifles there are so many things of greater consequence to be taken notice of in the glorious Reign of so great a King that these frivolous Matters ought only to be touch'd upon en passant that we may have the more leisure to pursue the Thread of our History in relation to other Affairs of moment By Vertue of the Treaty of Nimeguen the whole Upper and Lower Alsace being granted to the King with an absolute Soveraignty over it and all its Dependencies the King sent the next following Year his Summons to all the Princes Cities and other Vassals depending on the said Province to give their appearance to do Homage and Swear Fealty to him Some obeyed but the most refused to appear Upon their Refusal the King erected a certain Chamber of Re-union at Brisack who adjudged their Lands and Fiefs forfeited to the King according to the Laws of Fiefs which enjoyn the forfeiture of the Estate of a Vassal who either neglects or refuses to pay the Homage due to his Lord. At the same time the Chamber of Re-union establish'd by the King's Order at Brisac Chambers of Re-union at Brisac and Metz. took the same Method in respect of those Fiefs which had formerly belonged to and were since dismembred from the three Bishopricks of Metz Toul and Verdun As these Re-unions extended over a vast Tract of Ground so the Neighbouring Princes taking the alarm made their complaints to the Dyet at Ratisbonne solliciting for aid to stop the further progress of these Proceedings They were not wanting on their side to represent to the Dyet the pressing necessity of applying a speedy remedy but they were very slow in their Debates and much slower in their Resolutions These Re-unions being look'd upon by some of the Princes of the Empire as an infraction of the Peace whilst they pretended to evince them to be no more than the natural consequences of the Treaty of Nimeguen the first were for taking up Arms for the Defence of the Empire the others representing the danger of coming to these extremities in so critical a juncture Whilst they thus spent their time in contests Strasburgh Surrenders without coming to any final resolution the City of Strasbourg the Capital of the Lower Alsace and one of the most considerable in all Germany submitted to the King in September in the Year 1681 before the King's Forces that were on their March from all the circumjacent Ports in order to Besiege it came in sight of the Place They enter'd the City on the same Day that some of the King's Troops took possession of the Citadel of Casal in Italy Casal Surrender'd which the King had bought from the Duke of Mantua As the King set out on his Journey to Strasburgh before he had receiv'd the News of its Surrender he pretended to take a Progress to one of his Country Houses but turning short took the Road towards Germany Before he came to the Frontiers he was advertis'd that his Troops were already receiv'd within the City but this did not hinder him from pursuing his Journey thither where he receiv'd the Oath of Fidelity from his new Subjects The taking of this City which was of vast consequence serv'd only to augment the divisions among the Members of the Empire at the Dyet of Ratisbonne the more because the King propos'd to adjust all those Differences if they pleas'd in an irreconcilable way The Ministers of the House of Austria at first rejected these Propositions but dreading an Invasion from the Turks they gave their consent so that Plenipotentiaries were appointed on both sides to meet at Frankfort upon the Main for setling the limits betwixt the Empire and France But a whole twelve Months being spent before the Conferences were open'd by reason of some contests about Titles and Precedency betwixt the Deputies of the Emperor and those of the Empire the King thought fit to recall his Plenipotentiaries and to remove all occasions of further delay declared by his Minister Lewis Verjus Count of Creci then residing at the Dyet of Ratisbonne that he was willing to renounce for ever to all the other Dependencies of Alsace and the three above-mention'd Bishopricks notwithstanding that his Pretensions comprehended a vast tract of Ground provided the Emperor and the Empire would within a limitted time oblige themselves to resign to him the City of Strasbourg with all its Territories and those Lands which he was possessed off by vertue of the Re-union before the meeting of the Assembly at Frankfort These Propositions were advantageous
which the Allies propos'd to make upon France and to make a better Figure in Europe than he had done hitherto all these fair pretensions I say were motives strong enough to induce that Duke to refuse all the King's offers of a Neutrality The Duke of Savoy enters into the Confederacy and to joyn with the Confederates against us The War in Piedmont is always extreamly chargeable to France all the Cannon Ammunition and Provisions must be carried upon Mules thro' impassable Roads and out Troops could not but suffer great inconveniencies in passing and re-passing these inaccessible Mountains so that nothing could be more advantageously contriv'd for the Interest of the Confederates than to oblige our King to carry on a War on that side where besides all the before-mention'd inconveniencies our Frontiers lay expos'd to our Enemies it having been always the Interest of Savoy to keep a good correspondence with France and the strict Alliances betwixt these two Courts the King's reputation and strength having been look'd upon as a sufficient safe-guard and Bullwark for the security of our Frontiers in those parts It was upon this account that the Allies flatter'd themselves with the hopes of making a powerful irruption upon us and to penetrate into the very heart of the Kingdom on this side where it was least defensible but tho' they promis'd themselves no small advantages from this diversion the main foundation of their hopes was laid on the expected change of affairs in England which prov'd to their satisfaction at a time when it was not so much as dream'd of by us There seems to be a great sympathy betwixt the Climate and the humour of the English Nation the Government being subject to as many Revolutions as the weather is changeable in that Island which tho' very frequent here yet are nothing the less surprising in their events The great diversity of Religions which has been introduc'd since the time of their separation from the ancient Church is an inexhaustible scource of the many intestine troubles and divisions which at several times have brought this Monarchy to the very brink of ruin James II. when Duke of York Revolution in England 1688. was upon the point of having been excluded from the succession of the Crown by one of the Houses of Parliament notwithstanding which he mounted the Throne after the Death of his Brother with the general Acclamation of the People at a time when he made publick profession of the Roman Religion This Noble confidence of not dissembling his Religion stood him in no small stead with the English who look'd upon this his greatness of mind as a pledge of their future safety and that his Word would at all times stand inviolable to protect their Laws and Liberties But it was not long before they chang'd their sentiments the whole Nation being alarm'd at the Zeal they observ'd in him of advancing the Roman Catholicks which was improv'd to the King's disadvantage by a contrary Faction who nois'd it about in the ears of the People that his main design was to overturn their Laws and to establish upon their ruins an Arbitrary power The whole Kingdom being put into confusion and fears they began to enter into an Association headed by the Chief Men among the Commons and most of the Nobility who under hand treated with Holland and obtain'd powerful succours with so much secresy that there was not the least thing discover'd of it till a few Months before the arrival of the Prince of Orange at the head of an Army in England The train was so well laid and the whole matter so well tim'd that when the Prince of Orange landed in Torbay with twenty thousand Men both the Nobility and Gentry flock'd to him in great numbers all the Cities open'd their Gates both the Fleet and Army declar'd for him and abandon'd their King's Interest that to save his Life or at least to preserve his Liberty he was oblig'd to fly and seek for refuge in France A most notable instance of the instability of all human greatness If this Prince had accepted of our King's offers Things would in all probability never have been brought to that extremity for no sooner had his most Christian Majesty been advertis'd of what was in agitation in Holland but he sent word to the King of England that he would either send a French Army to his assistance or else by giving a powerful diversion to the Dutch prevent their design against him But the King of England who flatter'd himself with these hopes that the Prince of Orange being his Nephew and Son-in-Law would scarce be prevail'd upon to head a Faction against him and that if he should have any such intention his Fleet and Army were a sufficient guard to him against any attempts of the Dutch was not till it was too late convinc'd of his mistake For no sooner had the Prince of Orange set Foot upon the English shoar but he found the whole Nation ready to receive him and every thing was thus dispos'd that after the departure of the King of England the English Nation shew'd more forwardness in advancing him to the Throne than he did in all outward appearances in accepting of it For at the first meeting of the States of the Kingdom the Throne of England being declar'd vacant the Prince of Orange was Proclaim'd Crown'd K. Will. III. acknowledg'd King of England and acknowledg'd as Lawful King of England not only by the English Nation and all the Protestant Princes but also by the Emperor Spain by the Electors of Germany an all the other Catholick Princes in general that were enter'd into the Confederacy It having been always look'd upon as a thing past all dispute among the Confederates that the power of England if joyn'd with the Confederacy would over-balance or at least equalize that of France they now believ'd themselves to be arriv'd at the highest pitch of their prosperity for which reason they boasted in all places that France would fcarce be able to hold out two or three Campaigns after the Prince of Orange King William III. should have joyn'd the Forces of three Kingdoms with the Confederate Armies There were some who were foolish enough to imagine and to represent the Kingdom of France as reduc'd to the very brink of destruction block'd up both by Sea and Land scarce able to withstand five or six Armies that were to attack it on all sides at a time but these unexperienc'd Politicians were soon after convinc'd that they had triumph'd before the Victory was obtain'd These vast preparations made by the Allies against France rather serv'd to augment than diminish the Glory of our King who in nine Years time gain'd several Battels and took many of their best Towns some of which they have been forc'd to re-gain with incredible charges and greatloss of their best Men. However Campain in 1689. the Revolution in England was so considerable an addition to
Town provided with good Out-Works having three several Ditches which are always full of Water by means of some Sluyces built for that purpose There was within the Place a very good Artillery the Inhabitants were train'd up in all sorts of Military Exercises and the Garrison consisted of five or six thousand Men all well disciplin'd Troops But the time of the Winter-Quarters being not expir'd most of the Officers were absent from their Commands and the Lines of circumvallation were so well guarded that notwithstanding all their endeavours not one of them got into the place The Lines being brought to perfection the Cannon began to play from the Batteries with incredible fury one battery seconding the other without intermission and with so much dispatch that by the confession of the most expert Engineers never any Artillery did greater execution Siege of Mons. Four and twenty Mortars and sixty pieces of great Cannon were continually employ'd against the Place there was above a million of Powder laid up in the Camp for the supply of them so that where-ever you turn'd your Eyes you saw nothing but Bombs and hot Bullets flying in the Air which set the whole City on Fire so that you might behold the Flames rise beyond the tops of the highest Steeples The King was Day and Night in motion there passed not a Day but that he visited the Trenches once or twice encouraging by his presence every one in his station to do his Duty with such success that both the Officers and Soldiers shewed so much eagerness in out-braving one another that the King to moderate their heat saw himself oblig'd to forbid them not to work uncover'd and to carry their Fascins as they did frequently at Noon day in spite of the continual fire of the Garrison to the Trenches for they seem'd to have put their chief hopes in their Artillery they having not made one Salley during the whole Siege The only place which was defended with much gallantry was a Horn-Work which the French making their way thro' the Granadoes and Carcasses of the Enemy which fell as thick as Hall among them carried with Sword in Hand The Citizens of Mons were all along in hopes that the Prince of Orange King William III. would come to their relief and in effect he march'd with an Army of forty thousand Men as far as Hall within six Leagues of Mons but finding himself not strong enough to Attack our King he remain'd in thar post till after the Surrender of the Place which finding it self not in a condition to sustain a General Assault came to a Capitulation after a Siege of sixteen Days After the taking of Mons the Troops on both sides return'd to their Winter-Quarters and the following Campaign was spent in marches and counter marches without any remarkable Action The Confederates had boasted ever since the beginning of this Summer that they would Besiege some Place or other in Flanders they Attack'd Beaumont a small Place without defence the Garrison consisting only of one hundred and fifty Men. This done the Prince of Orange King William III. leaving the Army in Flanders to the Conduct of his General Officers went to the Hague in order to his return into England but at the same time that he imagin'd the Campaign to be over he receiv'd the unwelcome News of the defeat of his Cavalry The Marshal of Luxemburgh had so narrowly observ'd the motions of the Confederate Army for some time Engagement near Leuze that on the eighteenth of September he found an opportunity to fall in their Rear He advanc'd with eighteen Squadrons at the head of whom were the Troops of the King's Houshold towards the Enemy who with threescore and fifteen Squadrons posted in three Lines covered with a deep Ditch and a Rivulet on each side received us very briskly But the Troops of the King's Houshold advancing without fireing receiv'd the Enemies first discharge at twelve paces distant when breaking in upon them only with Swords in Hand they attacked them so furiously that the first Squadrons were immediately brought into confusion after they had returned four several times to the Charge The Enemies loss amounted to fifteen hundred besides which we took three hundred Prisoners and forty Standards Their whole Cavalry was engaged in this Action except five or six Squadrons which being posted too near their Infantry we durst not attack them This brave Action was perform'd only with the loss of four hundred Men killed and wounded on our side In all other places the King's Arms were Crown'd with the same success The Duke of Noailles had Conquer'd the whole County of Sardagne The Marshal de Lorges had ravag'd the German Territories and had by continual marches so harassed the Confederate Army on that side commanded by the Duke of Saxony that without striking one stroke they were ruined for want of Forage and Provisions The Marshal de Catinat I call him so at present tho' he was not invested with that Dignity till two Years after had since the Month of March taken Villa Franca in less than fifteen Hours the Town and Castle of Nice in five Days after opening of the Trenches Villa Franca is a very good Port and the only one in Piedmont The Castle of Nice is one of the strongest in Europe built upon a Rock surrounded on all sides with precipices But both their Magazins being blown up with Bombs and five hundred of their Men kill'd the Governor was forc'd to Capitulate After the taking of Nice Carmagnole and Veillane surrender'd at the first Summons Coni was likewise besieg'd to open our way to Turin but he that commanded in Chief being terrified raised the Siege with much precipitation before he could be reinforc'd with necessary Supplies But the Duke of Savoy had no better success before Suza for tho' he receiv'd a considerable reinforcement of Brandenburghers yet he was forc'd to quit the Enterprise at the approach of our Army The Marshal de Catinat to put a glorious end to this Fortunate Campaign and to make himself Master of the Chief and only remaining Key both of Savoy and Piedmont besieged Montmelian about the middle of November This so famous Fortress defended it self very courageously but the French in spite of the bravery of their Enemies and the rigour and inconveniencies of a far advanced Season forc'd the Garrison to a surrender after a Months Siege All these most glorious Conquests were look'd upon as inconsiderable in respect of the hopes we had conceiv'd of the restauration of the King of England Gampaign in 1692. But we found our selves frustrated in our expectation The hour of this Prince was as it seems not yet come and all the efforts made on our side in order to assist him in his design serv'd for nothing else but to give us new proofs of the aversion of his People towards him and that his ill Stars were as powerful as ever to render him unfortunate He had lately
lost the Kingdom of Ireland which was Conquer'd by one of the Prince of Orange's King William III. Generals who had taken Limerick and oblig'd the French Forces to return into France In recompense of this loss he was buoyed up the next following Spring of being suddenly restor'd to his Throne There were many of his Adherents and Creatures left in England besides a good many of his old Servants who being employ'd in bringing over the Officers of the English Army and Fleet to their side perswaded themselves to have managed matters with so much dexterity that it was impossible to fail in the Enterprise Full of these hopes this Prince craved assistance from our King who granted him a good Fleet and a sufficient number of Land-Forces to be transported into England Then he marched with his Troops into Normandy expecting the success of our Fleet which under the Command of the Count de Tourville Vice-Admiral of France was gone to Sea in quest of the Enemy But we found our selves soon mistaken in our fond expectations for the English were so far from running before us or to declare for the King of England as we had been perswaded they would that they gave Tourville a very warm reception Loss of fifteen Fr. Men of War in May. The French Fleet was much inferiour in number to the Enemies consisting only of forty four Men of War for the Line of Battle whereas the Confederate Fleet was fourscore and ten strong Notwithstanding this great inequality the French Attack'd them so briskly that for three hours together they had the advantage over the Enemies who were extreamly damnified in their Masts and Rigging lost one of their Ships which was sunk and most of their Fireships whereas we lost not one Ship during the whole Engagement Both Fleets being separated by a thick Fog and the Night Tourville fearing not without reason that considering the inequality of their Forces he should not be in a condition to cope with the Confederate Fleet a second time thought it most advisable to take this opportunity of making the best of his way towards the French Coast But his Fleet being separated by the darkness of the Night one and twenty of his biggest Ships gain'd the Port of St. Malo where they were sufficiently secur'd against any attempt of the Enemy But fifteen others not being able to steer the same course by reason of the contrary Winds were so closely pursued that being in danger of being taken they run a-shoar and after having taken out all their Cannon and most of their Rigging the French set fire to them rather than to leave them a prey to the English and Dutch Nothing is more common in the World than to lay the ill success of an Enterprise at the Door of him who has had the supream Direction and Management of it most People looking upon a disaster of this nature to proceed chiefly from the ill Conduct of the General whereas they attribute the happy success of a Battle merely to Fortune But it must be confess'd that Tourville had the satisfaction to hear his Enemies give him this Character That he had acquitted himself upon this Occasion as a great Commander But the taking of Namur did surprise the Confederacy and all Europe in such a manner Siege of Namur by the French that our success in Flanders soon effaced the remembrance of the disgrace received at Sea Namur is situated at the confluence of two Rivers the City lies in a Plain the Castle is built upon a Rock both are very regularly fortified this being one of the most considerable places in all Flanders for its Situation and of such consequence that in the last Age this being the only Place in the Netherlands remaining in the Spaniards Hands they by the help of it recover'd all the rest of the Low-Countries which have been in their possession since The several Works belonging to the Castle were like so many Citadels each of them being provided with its Out-Works Ditch a particular Garrison and Commander In the Fort William alone was a Garrison of two thousand Men and a train of Artillery sufficient to defend a great City These Forts being built upon an assent which reaches up to the body of the Castle command one another And defend the avenues leading to it At the time when it was besieged by the King the Place was provided with a Garrison of eight or nine thousand Men with great store of Ammunition and Provision of all sorts under the bravest and most expert Officers among the Confederates The Prince of Orange King William III. was at that time in Flanders and the Confederates were so numerous on that side that they could bring together an Army of an hundred thousand Men. But all these obstacles were not capable of altering the King's resolution who after every thing was in a readiness for the carrying on of so great an Enterprise ordered two separate Armies to take the Field in Flanders the less numerous of the two was employed in the Siege the other to cover it against any attempt of the Enemy These two Armies consumed every Day two hundred and fifty thousand Rations of Bread and thirty thousand French bushels of Oats allowing half a bushel for each Horse a Day And the King had taken such sure measures as to all the necessary Supplies that as long as the Siege lasted there was always in both Camps no less than for fifteen Days Provision Twenty thousand Pioneers were employed in making the Lines of circumvallation and contravallation and the Trenches were opened in three Days after The City made at first a vigorous Defence but capitulated on the eighth Day finding it self not in a condition to sustain a general Assault The surrender of the City made the Enemy fear that the Castle tho' accounted impregnable might follow the example of the City for which reason the Prince of Orange King William III. Count Waldeck General of the Dutch Forces and the Elector of Bavaria who had lately been made Governour of the remaining part of the Spanish Netherlands advanced and posted themselves near the Banks of the River Meheigne These three Bodies made together an Army of near an hundred thousand Men which was continually in motion to intercept our Convoys or to endeavour to force our Quarters if they should find an opportunity The Marshal de Luxemburgh not inferiour in number to the Confederates being encamped on rising Ground on the other side the Meheigne at about half a Leagues distance from the River expected them in good order there being a large Plain betwixt them and the Enemy But the Prince of Orange King William III. had either no inclination to hazard a Battle or else could not meet with a favourable opportunity to put his design in execution for he caused five or six several times Bridges to be laid over the River but they were immediately broken down again Thus these two great Armies encamped within sight
passable by the Bridges made by the dead Carcasses of Men and Horses This vast Army was dispersed in such a manner that they could not get together in a Body again till six days after when being reinforced with fresh Troops and especially with the Detachment commanded by the Prince of Wirtembergh they appear'd again in the Field It is to be taken notice of here that since the beginning of this War our King had ordered certain Lines or Entrenchments to be made from Mabeuge to the Sea-side to serve as a Barricado to cover his Conquests on that side The Duke of Wirtembergh having been detached from the main Army with a Body three times stronger than the French that guarded these Lines to attack them had forced these Entrenchments and was just then preparing to ravage the Country when receiving the News of this Defeat he was forced to turn back in order to join with all speed the Prince of Orange King William III. Within two Months after Victory of Marsaglia the 4 October the Marshal de Catinat obtained another no less compleat but less bloody Victory over the Confederate Army in Italy under the Command of the Duke of Savoy The said Marshal's Army had hitherto been much inferior in Number to the Allies which was the Reason that he had not undertaken any thing of moment but only to observe the Enemies Motions and to harress them with Marches and Countermarches The Duke and Spaniards willing to improve this Opportunity resolved to besiege Pignerol but being discouraged by the Resistance they met with in the Taking of St. Brigitt which being built but a Year before at some distance from the Town commanded the chief Avenues leading to it and had held out fifteen days before it was taken they altered their Resolutions contenting themselves with throwing a vast number of Bombs and red hot Bullets into the Place Whilst they were flattering themselves with the hopes of either reducing or destroying the City of Pignerol by Fire Messengers after Messengers came to bring the sad News to the Duke of Savoy that not only the French had burnt one of his Country Houses but that also the Marshal de Catinat having received a Considerable Reinforcement had made himself Master of the Plains The Duke immediately directing his March towards those Plains he was met by the Marshal The Battle began about nine a Clock in the Forenoon the right Wing of the Enemy was brought into confusion at the first Encounter the left follow'd not long after the Example of the right Wing yet they Rallyed and return'd to the Charge twice or thrice but without any great Effect for their Cavalry being entirely routed the rest were cut to pieces except those who saved themselves by flight and to fly with the less Inconveniency threw away their Arms enough to Arm sixteen thousand Men. The flying Enemy were pursued to the very Gates of Turin the whole Plain being covered with dead Carcasses and in some places with entire Battallions especially of the Spaniards and Hugonots The Enemies lost nine thousand Men in this Engagement besides two thousand taken Prisoners a hundred Colours forty five Standards and thirty four pieces of Cannon We had twelve or fifteen hundred killed and wounded on our side The Gens d'Arms behaved themselves to a miracle Our Infantry fought with their Bayonets in their Fuszees and Sword in hand After the Loss of this Battle the Duke being reinforced with the German Troops that block'd up Casal yet durst not appear in the Field so that the Marshal de Catinat without opposition over-run all the flat Country and carried away a prodigious quantity of Provision The King received the News of this Victory and of the Surrender of Charleroy in one day This place is situate betwixt Mons and Namur and was besieged in November when the Prince of Orange K. William III. was just ready to pass over into England Siege of Charleroy but upon the News of this Siege return'd into Flanders and advanced with an Army as far as Brussels but did not attempt the Relief of the Place which tho' considerable for its strength was forced to surrender in six and twenty days About the end of the same Month English Expedition against St. Malo an English Squadron was sent towards St. Malo to attempt the destruction of that Place not so much by their Bombs as a certain Engine by which they hoped to blow up that City or to lay it in Ashes This Engine was a three Deck'd-Ship of about four hundred Tuns lined and vaulted within with Brick-Work Betwixt each of these Decks there were placed many Barrels with Gun-powder mixt with a certain Composition of Tarr Pitch and Rosin a great number of Bombs Carcasses and other Casks fill'd with all sorts of Combustible Matter It was a fair and clear Night very calm and Spring-tide when this infernal Engine came swimming up with the Tide but by good Fortune was forced upon a Rock within Pistol-shot of the Walls of the City The Engineer who had the management of this Vessel perceiving that she took Water was so over-hasty in setting her on Fire that both He and his Attendants were blown up in the same moment before they had time to get out of reach The springing of this Engine made a most dreadful Noise and shook all the circumjacent Ground for three or four Leagues The whole City felt a most violent Confusion and in a moment all the Streets were covered with Slates and Tyles which like a Shower of Hail powred down from the tops of the Houses This was the whole Loss sustained by this dreadful Engine which carried along with it more Terror than Damage there being not one House in the whole City that receiv'd any further Damage neither was there one single Person kill'd or wounded For the Powder having taken vent and being besides that spoil'd by the Water did not answer the pretended Effect in throwing the Bombs and Barrels full of Combustible Matter into the Air. At low Water near seven hundred Bombs were taken up from the Sands and abundance of Powder out of the Wrack of the Vessel We could scarce have wish'd for a more prosperous Campaign on our side than the last Campaign in 1694. but as there is no human Felicity without some mixture of Adversity so when the State suffers within all its outward Prosperity appears to be but superficial I say we could not have wished for a more glorious Campaign if a general Scarcity had not almost ruined several Provinces in the Kingdom but especially the City of Paris with the circumjacent Parts France is a very fertile Country abounding especially in Wheat so as to be able to furnish its Neighbours with a considerable Quantity of this useful Commodity which for several years before had been so cheap that the common People liv'd easie enough tho' by reason of the long War and the decay of Trade there was but slender Gain
the loss of only two or three hundred Men on our side The Enemies had betwixt four or five thousand kill'd and wounded and we took above three thousand Prisoners all their Baggage Provision Ammunition and sixteen Colours Immediately after the gaining of the Battle Siege of Palamos the Marshal de Noailles besieged Palamos a small Maritime Town but well fortified There was a Garrison of three thousand Men in the place which did defend themselves only five days after the Place began to be Batter'd by our Cannon both by Sea and Land For whilst the Marshal attack'd it by Land a French Squadron of Men of War batter'd it by Sea After we had made our selves Masters of the Counterscarp there were two Breaches in the Wall but so narrow that not above one Man could mount it at a time in Front Some Soldiers having taken notice of it shew'd it to their Officers who approving of their Design they mounted the Breach entred the City and taking advantage of the general Consternation this unexpected Sight of the Enemy upon the Ramparts had put them into they soon made themselves Masters of the City on the 7th of June The Fort or Castle being forced to Surrender at Discretion within three days after the Marshal without loosing time sat down before Gironne This Place was so considerable for its Strength that in the Year 1684 Gironne taken it obliged the French Army to raise the Siege But our late Victory near the River Ter the taking of Palamos the furious discharges of our Batteries and the vast number of our Bombs which did great Execution and set the Town on fire besides the little hopes there was of being relieved obliged the Inhabitants and Garrison to Capitulate in five days We made our selves Masters of several other places betwixt Gironne and Barcelona and all the Country round was seised with such a Consternation that their Capital City it self would scarce have been able to hold out a Week against our victorious Arms if the Heats had not been so excessive as to prevent us from undertaking the Siege and the Confederate Fleet was so seasonably to their Assistance and had supply'd them both with Ammunition and Men. This was the only Fruit they reap'd from the Equipment of so numerous a Fleet it being fear'd otherwise that the Spaniards might have concluded a separate Peace with us if they had not come to their Relief It was also supposed that at the Sollicitations of the Duke of Savoy this Fleet was to endeavour the regaining of Villa Franca It was composed of one hundred and thirty Sail among which were threescore and fifteen for the Line of Battle It was given out that they were to Retake Nice to Bombard Thoulon and to lay Marseilles in Ashes There were also some who pretended that they were to chastise Genove for refusing to join with the Confederacy But all these Projects vanished into Smoak they being disenabled for want of Provisions and by the many Distempers that reigned among the Seamen to undertake any thing of moment they kept the Sea for some time after till the approaching Winter Season forced them to seek for a safe Retreat in the Spanish Ports Their Fleet in the Ocean made more Noise but did not much more Damage Descent in Camaret Bay They made an attempe upon Camaret-Bay at the neck of a Land which juts into the Sea near Forest Of eight or nine hundred Men who Landed by the help of their Chaloops betwixt three and four hundred were killed the rest made Prisoners The rest of their Forces that were to second the Attack being deterr'd by the ill Success of their Comrades and the continual Fire from our Entrenchments upon the Sea-shoar did not judge it advisable to attempt any further Descent but under the Protection of some of their Frigats return'd to their Ships On the 22th day of July Diepe Bombarded they Bombarded Diepe which was laid in Ashes most of the Houses of this City being of Wood and closely built the Inhabitants fled from their Habitations with their best Moveables the Fire consumed the whole City there being no body to stop its Fury But the Enemies were great Gainers by this Bargain it having been computed that this Expedition cost them more than the re-building of the whole City could amount to On the 20th of July they appear'd before Havre de Grace which they likewise Bombarded for some time as well as Calais but without doing any considerable Damage the Fire having been soon extinguished by the Care of the Inhabitants This done they made an attempt upon the Forts which guard the Entrance of the Port of Dunkirk two Engines not unlike to that they had made use of at St. Malo's advanced towards the said Forts with an Intention to blow them up but by the help of the Cannon mounted upon several Batteries along the Sea-shoar these two Vessels were blown up into the Air at about a thousand yards distance from the Mole The little Success of this Campaign on the Confederates side Campaign 1695. did in some measure abate the Heat of the English and Dutch who for these seven years last past had bore the greatest Share in the vast Expences of the War In Holland the common People cry'd out aloud for Peace in London tho' they did not do it so publickly yet they were very desirous of it The Parliament took an Account of the Supplies granted for the use of the War and what Share each of the Allies ought to have in the Expences pursuant to the Treaty's concluded for that purpose They excluded the Speaker of the House of Commons from their House and imprison'd several of their Members They also Summon'd the Earl of Danby Duke of Leeds President of the Privy Council but these Proceedings ceased with the Session of Parliament There were some who look'd upon this Affront put upon one of the Prince of Orange's Favourites K. William III. as a Spark of Fire which being couch'd for some time under the Ashes might in time break out into a Flame And their Conjectures seem'd not ill grounded considering that since the Death of the Princess of Orange Queen Mary eldest Daughter to the King of England who died on the 18th of December in the Year 1694. Queen of Englands Death King James's Party began to appear more formidable than before and that the Differences betwixt the Court and the Princess of Denmark only Sister of the deceased Princess Q. Mary might furnish them with an opportunity to Foment the intestine Divisions in that Kingdom or that perhaps some of the Confederates discouraged by the change of Affairs in England might not prosecute the War with the same Vigour as before But it was not long before these Hopes were frustrated in the end For the Prince K. William III. either by his good Fortune or Conduct prevented all these Dangers there being not the least appearance of any Commotion On the
distance from the Town to hinder the sudden approach of an Enemy Monsieur de Regnac who commanded them in Chief made so many Sallies as fill'd up their Trenches threw up whole Battallions by the springing of his Mines into the Air that it cost the Enemy eight days time before they could make themselves Masters of them after they had been repulsed in the first Assault and that the French had been reduc'd to these streights as not to have room enough left to make new Entrenchments The Trenches opened before Namur betwixt the 11th and 12th of July The City did not Capitulate till after four and twenty days of opening of the Trenches all their covert ways and other Outworks being so entirely ruin'd by the Enemies great Artillery that without the utmost hazard they could not pretend to sustain a third Assault The first assault was the most terrible that had been seen in the Memory of Man it being no less obstinate than bloody It was a most dreadful Sight to behold the dead Carcasses lying in great Heaps and to hear the doleful Groans and Cries of the dying and wounded Soldiers The Allies renew'd the Attack four several times without being able to lodge themselves within either of the Trenches though all the same time these were seconded by a shower of Carcasses Bombs The City of Namur taken and red hot Bullets which were shot within the Works of the Town This brave Resistance giving us all imaginable hopes that the Castle would be able to defend it self much longer the Marshal de Villeroy advanc'd with his Army towards Brussels to Bombard that Place unless the Confederades would agree not to Bombard any place for the future without a formal Siege Never was any Enterprize more advantageously undertaken and more dexteously manag'd than this Bombardment For within the place was a very strong Garrison Brussels Bombarded and the Prince of Vaudemont with his Army was Encamp'd under the Walls besides that another flying Body of at least Twelve Thousand Men was continually in Motion to observe us and one side of the Town was laid under Water At the end of a great Causey the only way by which we could approach the Town the Enemies had made an Entrenchment of twenty Foot high having before it a low way which served for a Ditch But all these Obstacles were not sufficient to hinder the Marshal de Villeroy from opening his Trenches and raising his Batteries in spite of all their Entrenchments neither the Garrison or of Prince Vaudemont's Army which laid Entrenched on the backside of the Town making the least Motion either at our Arrival before or at our Marching off from before the Place All the Batteries being ready to Play the Marshal de Villeroy sent his Propositions of not Bombarding any Place for the future without a formal Siege But the Elector of Bavaria whose Intention was to gain time being come to Brussels the Marshal threw four Thousand Bombs in three Nights time into the Place 'T is impossible to express the Confusion and Terrour occasioned by the fury of our Bombs in so populous a City The best and strongest Edifices being destroyed and two thirds of the whole City either Burnt or laid Level to the Ground From hence our Army Marched towards Namur The Prince of Orange King William III having received Intelligence of their Approach and being joined by the Prince of Vaudemont and another Re-inforcement drew up his whole Army behind his Lines leaving only Twenty Thousand Men to guard the Trenches with a Resolution to avoid Fighting as long as possible he could and to keep on the Defensive being covered on all sides by unpassable Boggs thick Wood and Hedges and defended by double Entrenchments at all the Avenues The Marshal de Villeroy left nothing unattempted upon this Occasion he himself went in Person to take a View of the Woods and Defiles to see whether by some way or other it were not possible to force the Enemies Quarters without too much exposing the Soldiers to the Slaughter but found all the Avenues so well secur'd that it was impossible to attack the Enemy All the hopes of Relief being cut off by the Retreat of the French Army The Confederates attack'd the Castle with new Vigour Their great Artillery had done such terrible Execution against the Castle that all the Out-works appear'd no otherwise than like so many heaps of Stone or Rubbish the poor Soldiers being for the most part forced to shelter themselves in the Vaults against the Fury of the Bombs and Bullets which made Breaches every where each of which was big enough for a whole Battallion to Mount in Front The Marshal de Boufleurs having refused to hearken to the Summons sent him by the Confederates they prepared for a general Assault which was made in eleven several places at once The day appointed for this Bloody Action being come the Besieged saw about ten a Clock in the Morning the Enemies Infantry appear in two Columns above the Trenches advancing in good order towards the Breaches Three Thousand of their best Men at the Head of whom were the English Granadiers did out-brave all the rest in attempting to mount the Breach made in the Body of the Castle There was at least six Hundred Yards distance betwixt the head of the Trenches and the said Breach defended on both sides with several Out works well provided with a sufficient number of Soldiers But those brave Fellows made their way thro' all these Obstacles and advanced so briskly in spight of the Enemies Fire which galled them so in Front and Flank that the first Battallion planted their Colours on the top of the Breach This Battallion being brought into Confusion by the irresistible Bravery of the Besieged the second took their place till being quite broken as well as the former the flying Soldiers pressing upon one another brought the rest that were to Second them likewise in Coufusion who thereupon retreated in great disorder All the other Assaults were made and repulsed with the same Bravery notwithstanding the Garrison was quite exhausted of Strength by the continual Fatigues and for want of Rest but being animated by the Example of the Marshal and the rest of the Officers who also remonstrated to them that the Honour of the Nation laid at Stake and that their safety depended only on the points of their Swords they gave such Signal Proofs of their Bravery that the Enemies were repulsed in all their Attacks with great Slaughter which lasted till five a Clock in the Afternoon This was a most glorious day for the Besieged but they had lost so many of their Men in this occasion that finding themselves not in a Capacity to sustain another Assault the Marshal de Bouflers was forc'd to Capitulate The Castle of Namur surrender'd and to surrender the Castle on the first day of November Namur was purchased at a very dear rate by the Confederates who beside the immense
the Motions of their Army that he enclosed them betwixt the Mountains and their Entrenchment where without striking a Stroak they lost more Men than they could have done in an Engagement In Italy the Marshal de Catinat appear'd in the Field with a very numerous Army composed of some of our best Troops the King having taken a resolution either to Conquer all the Country as yet remaining under the Obedience of the Duke of Savoy or to oblige that Prince to accept of a Peace So soon as the Enemy receiv'd Intelligence that the French were preparing to pass the Mountains they employ'd a great number of Workmen to cover the City of Turin against any Attempt by making strong Lines and Entrenchments they carried all the common Cattle into places of Security and by their Army and numerous Parties which they sent abroad every Day endeavour'd to hinder our Communication with Pignerol Our Army finding nothing else to subsist on but what they were supply'd with by our Convoys did suffer Extreamly in their March which was not very hasty we being at the same time in Treaty with the Duke of Savoy and upon the point of concluding it After the Breach of the Truce the King had in his Manifest sufficiently testified his Intention of Sacrificing all his Conquests to the re-establishment of the publick Tranquility and that he had not taken up Arms to enlarge his Frontiers but to defend himself against the Attempts of the Confederate Princes Upon the same score it was that both before the Siege of Philipsbourgh and after the reduction not only of that Place but also of the whole Palatinate he pressed the Allies to change the Truce made at Ratisbonne in the Year 1684. into a lasting Peace Upon the same account also after taking Villa Franca Nice and Montmelian he offer'd the Duke of Savoy to restore to him all the Conquests he had made on that side Casal being demolish'd since that time the Duke of Savoy's Inclinations began to bend strongly towards a Peace Peace is so desirable in it self that when offer'd ought not to be refus'd Happy is that Prince who knows how to improve such an Opportunity to his own Advantage 'T is true the Duke made some Preparations in the next Spring to Besiege Pignerol but his Intention was rather to oblige us to demolish it than to reduce it by force of Arms. He had Espoused one of the Daughters of the Duke of Orleance only Brother to our King who having no Daughters had Married the eldest of his Nieces to the King of Spain the second to the Duke of Savoy The Queen of Spain died without Issue but the Dutchess of Savoy had had three Princesses to one of these the King resolv'd to Marry the eldest of his Grandsons to renew by this Marriage the ancient Alliance betwixt France and the Duke of Savoy This Alliance and the present Advantage of removing these inconveniencies which attended the War at so great a distance made the King consent to the demolishing of Pignerol and to restore the Duke into the immediate Possession of all his Territories except Susa Nice and Montmelian which were to be left in the King's Hands till the Conclusion of the general Peace The Duke on the other Hand oblig'd himself by a separate Article Peace with the Duke of Savoy in August to propose to the Confederates a Neutrality in Italy and if they refused to accept of it to join his Forces with France to oblige them to it During the Treaty with Savoy the King had granted a Truce for one Month which afterwards was prolonged at the Request of the Pope and the rest of the Princes of Italy who were not willing to let slip this opportunity that offer'd to rid their hands of the German and other Forreign Forces But the Confederates were so far from accepting the Dukes Propositions that on the contrary they left no stone unturn'd by threats and Promises to perswade him to alter his Resolution But he stood immovable to all these Insinuations and the time of the Truce being expir'd Siege of Valenza join'd his Forces with those of our King 's who advanc'd towards the Milaneze Territories to form the Siege of Valenza The Marshal de Catinat Commanded both these Armies under the Duke of Savoy and the Trenches being opened before the Place towards the end of September we caried on our Works with such Success that the Place was just upon the point of Capitulating Neutrality for Italy when a Messenger arrived in the Camp on the ninth day of October with this agreeable News that at last the Ministers of the Emperor and Spain had accepted of the Neutrality the chiefest Conditions were That the Princes of Italy should allow a certain Sum to the Emperor to redeem the Winter-Quarters And that the German Forces should begin their March in order to return into their own Country the same day that the King's Army in Italy should return into France The King gain'd great Advantages by the Peace of Italy Thirty Thousand Men of his best Troops with a great General who had hitherto been Employed on that side might be made use of with much less Expence against the Enemy in another place which must needs oblige them then to make a Peace with us or to continue the War with more Vigour and greater Expences than before We reap'd also another Advantage by it which ought not to be pass'd by in Silence which was the Princess Maria Adalaida The Dutchess of Burgundy Eldest Daughter of Victor Amadeus II. Duke of Savoy and Anna Mariae of Orleance Spouse to the Duke of Burgundy After the Ratification of the Peace this Princess was conducted into France though the Consummation of the Marriage was deferr'd for fifteen Months longer She was all that time not quite Eleven Years of Age but shew'd such a vivacity of Wit and so much Conduct in all her Actions that she was the admiration of the whole Court the Duke of Burgundy being not then above fourteen years Maria Victoria of Bavaria Dauphine of France died in the Year 1690. in the Flower of her Age Death of the Dauphiness she was a Princess of Extraordinary Merit of a great Soul whose chiefest aim was to see the Princes her Sons Educated in the love of Vertue and glorious Actions Betwixt this Princess and Lewis Dauphin of France were begotten three Princes Lewis Duke of Burgundy born the eighth day of August in the year 1682. Philip The three sons of the Dauphin Duke of Anjou born on the 29th day of December in the Year 1683. and Charles Duke of Berry on the 31st of August in the Year 1684. Never had any Princes in the World more noble Education their generous Inclinations being improved not only by their Governour Paul Duke de Beauvilliers Saint Aignant and their Tutor Francis de Salignac Fenelon Archbishop of Cambray but also by the singular Care of the King and
Viceroy's Quarter where there was nothing but Confusion as may easily be supposed to be the Effects of such a Surprize Every one was for following the Example of the Viceroy who saved himself in his Shirt without being able to take along with him his Papers or Scrutore in which was a good Sum of Gold Two or three hundred of the bravest among them who made some resistance were cut in pieces and the rest dispersed in an instant The whole Camp with all their Baggage fell a Prey to our Soldiers who burnt their Tents and every thing else that was not portable The Count d' Vsson having at the same time had the good Fortune to drive the Spaniards from their Post in the Mountains we had all the reason to believe that the Besieged being discouraged by this ill Success would alter their measures and give over their Design of holding out to the last Extremity Assault up on Barcelona But we found our selves deceiv'd in our hopes for they received us with incredible Bravery as we were giving the Assault about a Week after upon the Breaches of the two Bastions They retook one of these Bastions with great Slaughter and after they were drove from thence a second time retreated into a strong Entrenchment they had made behind the Breach of the Bastion Thus we were to encounter the Danger of a new Siege there being behind the Entrenchment a strong old Wall fortified with Towers Our Miners were set at Work and every thing ready for a general Assault when the Besieged were again summon'd to a Surrender but without being in the least terrified at the Danger that threatned them in case the Town should be be taken by Assault they refused to hearken to a Capitulation till at last being overcome by the Lamentations of the Cirizens and the Consideration of their present Condition which was such as not to be able to sustain another Assault without hazarding all they accepted of the Conditions offer'd them by the Duke de Vendosme who to shew the Esteem he had for their Bravery allow'd them very honourable Conditions to wit to march out thro' the Breach with six Mortars and thirty pieces of Cannon Besides which we found in the place six Mortars Surrendeâ— of Barcelona more and one hundred pieces of Cannon This Siege cost the Lives of many brave Men we having lost betwixt four and five thousand on our side and the Enemy above six housand It was was much about the same time that we receiveed the welcome News of the good Success of an Expedition against Carthagena a Place belonging to the Spaniards in the West-Indies The Spaniards are so over-jealous of their great Riches and vast Possessions in the new World that they do not suffer any Foreigner among them there This Project had been in Debate several times before but never came to Maturity till the Sieur de Ponty obtain'd Leave from the King to undertake this Eppedition in Person The King to encourage the Design provided the Ships many particular Persons furnishing their Quota for the Equipment of them in proportion to the Share they expected to have in the Booty The Sieur de Ponty was an expert Seaman and had rendred himself Famous in several Exploits Accordingly he set Sail in the Month of January Expedition against Carthagena with seven Men of War three Frigats two other Ships and one Bomb-Vessel He met with all the imaginable Success in his Voyage and in the beginning of March following without having met with any Tempest or other Encounter at Sea came to an Anchor before the Port of St. Domingo where being reinforced with fifteen hundred Buckaneers he pursued his Voyage to Carthagena where at his Arrival he found the Enemies who had received Intelligence of his Design making preparations to receive him Carthagena is one of the most Famous and best Ports the Sponiards are Masters of in America Description of Carthagena It is a very large and populous City built upon a Peninsula its Avenues is being guraded by several Forts There the Lower and the Upper City The last is defended by several Bastions and the first by a strong Fort. There were above one hundred pieces of Cannons mounted upon their Walls and Forts their main Hopes they avoiding all Opportunities of coming to Handy-blows Our Troops acting not with the usual Precautions betwixt eight and nine hundred of them were killed at their Landing by the Enemy's Cannon In the Assault of the first Fort the Buckaneers attack'd them with such Bravery that they took it with little Resistance the other Forts were also abandoned by the Spaniards without striking a Blow They defended the Fort which guards the Lower Town for some time but that being carried by Assault we fired so furiously with our great Artillery against the Upper Town that they were forced to capitulate on the third day after The Sieur de Ponty entred the City in Triumph The taking of Carthagena and after he had put them to Ransom he demolished all their Bastions and Forts We got a prodigious Booty in the Place For without reckoning the vast Sums which each Officer and Soldier squeez'd out of their Landlords betwixt eight and nine Millions of Livres in ready Coin and Ingots were brought into France and a Million more in Emeralds other precious Stones Moveables and Gold and one hundred Brass Pieces of Cannon With this vast Treasure they set Sail from Carthagena but were not long before at about fifty Leagues distance from that place Ponty escaped the English they were met by a Squadron of twenty English Men of War they made a running Fight for two days but on the third the Sieur de Ponty sound means under favour of a thick Mist to alter his Course and to escape the Danger without loosing any thing of his Booty The Expedition made much Noise in all Parts of the World every body standing amaz'd at the Boldness of the Buckaneers it being chiefly owing to their Bravery that this dangerous Expedition was brought to a happy issue tho' carried on with a much less Number of Ships and Men than seem'd proportionable to the Greatness of the Enterprize These Advantages so lately obtained on our side prov'd very instrumental to hasten the Peace The Jealousy which the Confederate Princes had conceived at the King 's good Fortune and Power The General Peace and the hopes of reducing him into more narrow Bounds had been the chief occasion of this War But finding themselves deceived in these great Expectations there was nothing left now but to restore Tranquility to Europe by a solid and durable Peace founded upon the same Basis with that of Nimhegen In this nice Conjuncture the Prince of Orange King William III. acted the Part of a great Politician and finding that the Desires of the People were absolutely bent for Peace he made the first steps towards Accomplishing it and by his Perswasions prevailed upon
well disciplin'd Troops and inur'd to the Fatigues of War His Frontiers were enclos'd on all sides with strong Forts and well Fortifi'd Cities his Treasury in a good condition and the whole Kingdom in a profound Tranquility He himself both delighted in and understood the Art of War His Affairs being in so flourishing a condition what could hinder him from making new Conquests if his desire of Glory had not been Counterbalanc'd by his Inclination for Peace and seeing that his Enemies were reduc'd to a state of moderation and his Frontiers secured on all sides he resolved to restore tranquillity to Europe After Charles II. King of England was enter'd into the Alliance with the Dutch King Ch. II. Mediator at the Treaty of Nimeguen his chief aim was to make himself a happy instrument in procuring a general Peace in which he succeeded so well that his Mediation was accepted For hitherto matters had advanced but slowly at the Treaty of Nimeguen where two Years were spent in setling some Preliminaries of little moment in respect of the great Work they were to transact to wit in Disputes about the place of Treaty in fixing the bounds of the Neutrality in exchanging their Credentials and examining their Commissions and such other Preliminaries as are commonly made use of to protract these Conferences whilst in the mean while the longest Sword decides the principal differences in the Field It is sufficiently known that scarce a Year had passed since the Declaration of the War wherein Spain had not been a considerable loser nevertheless they were the first who protested with all the solemn expressions in the World that they would never consent to the Peace unless our King did restore all what he had taken from them and the Emperor's Pretensions were as exorbitant as those of the Spaniards For which purpose the King made his chief application to the Hollanders being sensible that if he could draw them from the Interest of the Confederacy and perswade them to accept of a separate Peace the other Princes would soon follow their Example The King was sufficiently convinc'd that the Jealousy fomented by a certain Faction in Holland against the Prince and their fear lest if the War should continue much longer they might be involved in some troubles by the Prince's departure for England the decay of their Trade and the immense charges they were at by bearing the burthen of the War in maintaining not only their own Troops but also most of the Confederate Forces made them very desirous after a Peace but the more it was their Interest to promote it the more difficulties were to be surmounted before it could be brought to a happy conclusion For tho' the Emperor and Spain had acted but with indifferent success in this War yet on the other Hand the King of Denmark and Elector of Brandenburgh had had considerable advantages over Sueden which had declared for us against the Confederacy in the Year 1675. In three Years time that the War lasted betwixt the Northern Princes the Suedes had gain'd three Battles by Land but they had been worsted in three several Sea-Engagements and had lost the Isle of Rugen and all Pomerania This success against the Suedes seem'd to intimate to the Confederates that the French might also be vanquish'd in their turn The Emperor and Spain shew'd more inclination for the continuation of the War than for the Peace tho' it be evident that their hopes were built but upon a very slippery foundation to wit upon the chance of Fortune and those continual vicissitudes which are the constant Attendants of all human Affairs This was the reason that notwithstanding all the earnest applications of the States-General to obtain a General Peace yet the Treaty advanced but slowly and might perhaps have been quite rendred ineffectual if the King had not taken a firm resolution to see it brought to a happy conclusion by taking such measures as should oblige the rest of the Confederates to accept of the Peace The King himself drew up the Articles which he sent to his Plenipotentiaries at Nimeguen to be communicated to the Mediators under this condition that in case the Confederates did not think fit to accept of them in forty Days the King should be at liberty to alter them or to propose some new time By vertue of these Articles he was to remain in possession of all his Conquests unless Maestricht and six Places in Flanders to wit Ghent Courtray Aeth Oudenarde Charleroy Limbourgh and St. Gillian demolished That the King promised to restore Maestricht to the Hollanders and the six above-mentioned places to the Spaniards That the Peace of Munster should remain in its full force That if the Emperour kept Philipsbourg the King should remain in possession of Fribourg That the Prince of Furstemberg should be set at Liberty and restored to his Honour Dignities and Estate And that lastly the Northern Princes should restore to the Suedes what they had taken from them in this War Most of the Confederates exclaim'd against these Articles but notwithstanding all their Protestations and Clamours their Threats Intreagues and Cabals they were at last oblig'd to accept of the same terms The Hollanders had no sooner embrac'd the King's offer but the Emperour and Elector of Brandenburgh loudly exclaim'd against their Proceedings upbraiding them with breach of Faith and Ingratitude But who is so unacquained in publick Affairs as to look for acknowledgment among Princes or to imagine they think themselves oblig'd to one another for the assistance they give when it is evident that the same proceeds more from a motive of Interest than Friendship how can a State therefore be charg'd with Ingratitude unless it be call'd so when they search too narrowly into the true causes of a benefit they have receiv'd But to be short these reproaches made but slender impressions upon the States who were so far from changing their opinion that they prevail'd upon the Spaniards to follow their Example but when the Spanish Ambassadours were upon the point of signing the Articles there arose an unforeseen difficulty which was likely to have broken off the whole Treaty For in the Article concerning Spain wherein the King had promised to restore to them six Places in Flanders there being no certain time limitted the States had interpreted it thus that the Evacuation of the said Places should be made immediately after the Ratification of the Peace betwixt France and Spain But the King's Intention being not so much that by restoring these Places to Spain they should serve as a Barricado betwixt him and the Hollanders and to remove the Jealousie they had conceived at the Neighbourhood of so potent a Prince as to be in lieu of an equivalent for those Places that were to be restored to Sweden he refused to surrender these Cities into the Hands of the Spaniards before the Swedes had received full satisfaction as to their Demands This Spark was like to have proved