Europe's my own so soon as she beheld James II. upon the Throne of Great Britain I shall not here enlarge upon the Accident that set him in the Throne But certain it is that France and He had long and passionately waited for the happy Minute for that according to their Saying between 'em Charles II. was a meer Slugg and had neither vigour nor courage to put in Execution the Projects that France was a Brewing But far from that Charles II. wanted neither Policy nor Ingenuity and might have gone to his Grave with the Character of Prudent and Vertuous but for his scandalous Inclinations for Women However it may be assuredly said That the Match to which he was in a manner driven against his own Consent made him disgust Matrimony and threw him into a Vein of wanton Courtship 'T is true 't was a Weakness in him too apparent for his Honour but France and his Brother the Duke of York knew how to make their Advantage of it And therefore the Joy of Lewis XIVth's Court was not to be conceiv'd so soon as both He and his Adherents understood the Death of that good Prince and the Elevation of James II. to the Throne the Jesuits rejoyc'd in particular and never was such Posting backwards and forwards between Versailles and London as after the King of England's Death came to be publickly known at the French Court And there was some reason for it for that then it was that the French Council began to take terrible Resolutions in order to the putting in Execution a Design that France had kept conceal'd in her Breast for many Years before She began with the Revocation of the Edict of Nants a Thing which she durst not meddle with so long as King Charles was alive though that Prince in his heart was none of the Devoutest Religionaries but a Politician much more and one who observ'd his Measures by reason of his Parliament that was well inform'd that England was the Garrantee of that Edict But so soon as James II. became sole Master in England the Court of France gave her self her full swinge and push'd on her Design upon Europe might and main because that then there was no longer any fear of England which was the only Puissance that could either disappoint or advance her Enterprize And this was a Truth at all times so well known by the Kings of England that Hen. VIII made a Medal of Gold upon which was engrav'd a Hand stretching it self out of a Cloud and holding a Pair of Scales that were equally poiz'd with this Motto My Friendship turns the Beam But in King James's Time it was not England turn'd the Scale but France while England like an Ox ignorant of his own Strength tamely surrender'd her Neck to the Golden Yoke of Lewis XIV Formerly the Policy of France sent to the Court of England Lovely French Nymphs to cultivate the Hearts of the English Lords and of the Monarch himself But during King James's Reign another sort of Vermin were made use of and Monks and Jesuits were sent in Shoals that like so many Caterpillers and Locusts devour'd the Country and who had already dispers'd themselves over all the Kingdom and had made themselves Masters of the King and his Privy-Council to the great grief of all his good Subjects What a Heart-breaking must it needs be to the sounder Party at Court to see a Father Peters Chief in the Privy-Council pearch'd upon one of the highest Dignities in the Kingdom slighting and domineering over the Lords and Peers of the Realm as having got the Soveraign Authority into his Hands and for that the King and the Queen a Princess transported altogether by her Passion suffer'd themselves to be deluded and govern'd by this Tartuff of a Hypocrite and he over-rul'd by Father La Chaise who had all his Orders from the Court of France By which it may be easie to judge in what Condition France was at that time what Devils haunted both the Court and the Kingdom trampl'd o're the Necks of the King 's best Subjects and were just exposing the People to the Rage of Queen Mary's Reign who allow'd her Subjects no other Choice but of the Mass or the Faggot They who seriously consider the Policy of France in respect of England during the Reign of King James the II. will find the Game but very ill play'd seeing that in so short a time it gave an occasion to a Revolution so dangerous to France But so it happen'd because that Lewis XIV not foreseeing the Consequences after he had once given a loose Liberty to the Monks and Jesuits was no longer Master of the Affair and those Vermin pusht on King James with so much precipitancy that he being desirous to do too much at once they ranvers'd at the same time all the Designs of France and cast him headlong from the Throne into an Abyss from whence he will never be able to rise again so long as he lives nor will all the Power of France nor the detestable Wealth and Politicks of the Jesuits be able to restore him again If the Court of France were so excessive in their Rejoycing upon the Coronation of King James we may assure our selves that they were no less drown'd in Tears of Grief and Rage upon his Abandoning the Crown And then it was that all the best Head-pieces both Jesuits and Courtiers met together which way to apply some proper Remedies to a Blow so fatal and so unlookt for and then it was that Lewis XIV acknowledg'd his Error in following the Marquis of Louvois's Counsel which was to attack Philipsburgh instead of Maestritcht and give the Prince of Orange an Opportunity to pass un-disturb'd into England But that which deceiv'd France was an Army of Forty thousand Men which King James had a foot of which a great part were Irish and a Fleet of Forty Men of War riding out at Sea which indeed was a Force sufficient both by Sea and Land to have resisted so small a number as attended the Prince into England But it may be said that that same great Body was a meer Monster all Arms but no Head and whose Veins were fill'd with Water only instead of Blood And if France had bethought her self to have sounded in the first Place the Heart of King James she would have found there more of Cowardice then Courage and without question she would have march'd her Troops to the Lower instead of sending them to the Upper Rhine But by this we see that there is a certain Destiny which all the Wisdom all the Force and Industry of mortal Man cannot escape But now the Constitution of the Court of England being chang'd by the Alteration of the Government there was a necessity for the Court of France to change her Batteries and to employ all her Politicks which way to dethrone the reigning King whether by the Sword by Fire or by Poyson 't was indifferent to her provided she
Ports of France are become Nests of Pyrates and Sea-rovers only Nor do we find all this while that their ill-gotten Purchases enrich either the Soveraign or the People For according to the common Proverb That which is got with the Flute is spent with the Drum And therefore it is that the Inhabitants of St. Malo's and some other Ports of France are not a little troubled that they have no better employment then to addict themselves to Pyracy but their Trade with Holland and Spain being quite ruin'd for the present they are constrain'd to turn Sea-rovers for their Subsistance Now then we may assure our selves that 't is so far from being the Interest of France to ruine and destroy the United Provinces that 't is the Study of all her most serious Policy to gain their Friendship and inveigle 'em by fair Promises to accept a Peace either separate or general because the Intercourse between the two States in times of Peace brings more Profit to France then all the rest of Europe besides But this Peace is not to be obtain'd by France either from the United Provinces or from any other of the Confederates but upon safe Conditions For to such a Dilemma has the Most Christian King reduc'd himself by beginning an Unjust and Cruel War neither provok'd nor compell'd to it by any other Motives then those of an Inordinate Ambition So that it may be said of the Sun which Lewis XIV has made choice of for his Impress that it resembles the Sun in March which stirs and raises the Humours of the Body but has not Heat sufficient to consume their Malignity To say Truth France may be look'd upon as one of the worst Neighbours in the World for she lets no Prince along that has the Misfortune to lie near her So that after Lorraine the Spanish Low-Countries and the United Provinces had felt the Effects of her Fury she began again to prosecute her Old Designs upon Savoy And the First course she took to get footing in that Family was by the means of several Matches with French Princesses to the End she might have her Spies and Creatures in the very Beds of those Princes For that is one of the most Refin'd Pieces f French Policy for the King to make the Matches himself and to give 'em their Dowry to engage 'em the more Cordially to his Interests And at the same time he sends 'em home to their New Spouses full of Great Idea's of the Monarch of France and the vast Obligations which they owe him besides that before their Departure he causes 'em to Swear upon the Holy Evangelists That for the future they shall be absolutely devoted to France that they shall uphold the Interests of that Crown at all Times and against all Persons whatever in the Courts where they reside and shall inform either him or his Ministers of all that passes in their Husbands Cabinets and blindly obey the Orders that are sent 'em by the King or given by his Minister residing in the Court. And then there is no reason to wonder at the Troubles which Henrietta Maria and Christina the Daughters of Hen. IV. marry'd by Lewis XIII into England and Savoy occasion'd in those Countries The first never ceasing till by her ill Conduct and exasperating her Husband to act contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom she had brought Charles I. to an Untimely End and her going into England may be said to be as it were the Source and Leaven of all the Misfortunes that ensu'd in our days Leaving England take a view of the greatest part of all the other Courts of Europe and you shall find French Princesses who play their Parts with the Louidores of France In Tuscany we have seen the present Grand Duke that he might procure his own Peace at home send a Bill of Divorce to the Grand Dutchess his Wife who is a Princess of the House of Orleance and return her back to France to undergo the same hard Fortune as Henrietta Maria wasting the remainder of her Days in a mean Condition depending upon the inconstant Humour of the King of France To whom such a return cannot choose but be a tacit Reproach of the Misfortune befallen her for upholding his Interests But in regard that Large Consciences are all the Mode of the Court of France they can never be injur'd by Petty Stings or little Keckings If you look upon Portugal you shall find there Mademoiselle d' Aumale marry'd to two Brothers one after another tho' the first were alive at the time of the second Marriage King Alphonso VI. somewhat morose by nature and not willing to comply with the Counsels and Caresses of that Princess the Court of France found a way to be rid of that Prince who was banish'd to the Islands of Tercera and his Marriage after dissolv'd by the Duke of Mercoeur the Queen's Uncle made a Cardinal at the Sollicitation of France and sent Legate into Portugal with a design to out the Nuptial knot a Secret all this while unknown to the Pope who was ignorant of the Contrivances of the French Court and tho' that during the Three first Months of the Marriage it was given out that the Queen was with Child yet they parted the Wedded Couple for all that under pretence of Impotency and marry'd her to Don Pedro Successour to the Crown and her Husband's Brother and if Charles II. of England would have consented to a Divorce between Him and Queen Katherine the Court of France had design'd him the Princess of Nevers Spain has several times experienc'd to her cost the fatal Consequences of Matches with France and his Royal Highness of Savoy at present ruling had been within a Finger's breadth of losing his Territories had he pursu'd his Journey into Portugal to espouse the Infanta at the earnest Solicitation of the Princess his Mother who is a French Woman and by the Perswasion and Management of the Court of France who were very Industrious to procure that Match on purpose to remove the Duke out of his Dominions and oblige him to stay in Portugal in Hopes of a Crown while France took the Opportunity to make himself Master of Biemont and Savoy France has been a long time contriving and studying for a favourable Pretence to colour the the Execution of this Design Harry the Great in his time agreed with the Duke of Savoy that upon his resigning up to him all the Pretensions that the Duke had in Milanois he should oblige himself to conquer it and afterwards exchange it for such Lands as the Duke held on this side the Mountains which consist in Genevois all the Principality of Nissa the County of Foussigni and a part of Savoy as far as the Alps to the end it might be in his Power to call himself Master from the Pyreneans to the Alps. But the Tragical End of Hen. IV. put a stop to that Enterprize However it did not quench the greedy Thirst of the Court
Example of Alexander VI. who notwithstanding his being the Vicar of Christ never forbore to falsify his Word when he found there was a necessity for it tho' never any man promis'd things with more solemn Oaths and his Deceit prov'd successful to him Nor was Fordinand King of Castile and Aragon beholding for his Grandeur to any thing so much as to his Breach of Faith The Emperour Charles V. was always wont to swear By the Faith of a Man of Honour when he had a Design to act contrary to what he promis'd This Mazarine maintain'd as a Maxim never to be contradicted and that it behov'd a Soveraign to observe this Rule if ever he design'd Grandeur and Puissance never to stick to or govern himself according to the establish'd Laws of a Monarchy when they agreed not with his present Interest and the Politicks requisite to enlarge his Power because the same Laws that were made in former Ages were good and wholesom at that time but could not always so continued As much as to say that a King may break and trample over the Fundamental Law of a Realm when they concur not with his Ambition and his Inclination to plunder his Neighbours and ruin his Subjects For this reason it is that for some Years since we have seen Lewis XIV practise all these Maxims with a vehement Swing but with little Circumspection consulting neither the Laws of his Kingdom nor the Prerogatives of other Princes However observing this Rule never to threaten before-hand but to execute his Design at the same time that he set forth his Manifesto that his Adversary might have no time or leisure to oppose his Torrent Morevover Men judge of the Inclinations of Princes by the Ministers and Great Personages that are in favour near their Persons and the Deceas'd Prince of Orange William the First was wont to say in his time with great Reason and upon solid Grounds That a True Judgment might be given of the Natural Disposition of Philip II. King of Spain by the Cruelties which the Duke of Alva his Chief Minister committed without fear of punishment in the Low-Countries If it may be lawful to say the same thing of Lewis XIV What Sentiment ought we to have of that Prince If we look narrowly into the Inclinations and Proceedings of the Ministers that have serv'd him all the whole time of his Reign to begin from Mazarine till this very time we shall find 'em to have been all Birds of Prey and most Cruel and Insatiable Blood-suckers of the People Cardinal Richlieu was the First who laid the Foundation of this Policy now practis'd by the Court of France for that same Minister abusing the Simplicity of Lewis XIII made himself absolute Master in the Kingdom He was naturally Violent nor could he endure any Companion all People must submit to Him He Exil'd and Imprison'd he cunningly got rid of the Baron d'Ancre of Monsieur de Thou and Cinqmarc chose rather to establish the Security of his Person and his Fortune by Rigour and Violence then to hazard either by Clemency or by too much Complacency with those that were belov'd by the King and so he triumph'd over all even over the Protestant Party which was very numerous in France and which he endeavour'd to oppress by all manner of ways against the Edicts of Pacification and ruin'd 'em all by ruining Rochell which that he might the better bring to pass he deceiv'd the English and Hollanders who in good Policy were bound to have ventur'd all to have preserv'd that Important Place which was another State within the State it self and was a kind of Sanctuary and Place of Retreat for all the Malecontents of the Court. And it may be said that the Loss of that City was the Source of all the Calamities that befell Charles the I. King of England for France not only rais'd the Tempest in the two Kingdoms of England and Scotland sent Money into England to Kindle the Fire and feed the Civil War but encourag'd Oliver to lay hands upon the Person of the King in hopes at that time to bring down the Power of that Formidable Monarchy by Sea as is easie to judge by the Entertainment which the Court of France gave to the Princes of the Royal Family of England in that Conjuncture Moreover after what a Treacherous manner did France act with the Old Duke of Lorrain that he might have an Advantage to usurp his Country For Cardinal Richlieu under pretence of Friendship drew him to Lion where Lewis the XIII then lay with a Powerful Army under a false pretence that it behov'd him to come and pay his Respects to that Monarch Thither the Prince suspecting nothing but honest and fair dealing repair'd and was receiv'd at first with Extraordinary Honour and Civility not only by the King and the Cardinal but by all the Grandees of the Court who were order'd to treat him Splendidly But that was but the Bait to draw him on for when the poor Duke laden with the Honours of the Court and satisfi'd with his Kind Reception was about to return home he was stopp'd by the Cardinal's Order nor could he procure his Release but by delivering back into the hands of France a great part of his Territories which afterwards occasion'd the loss of all the rest under pretence that the Prince was an active stirring Soldier and devoted to the House of Austria But indeed because the Policy of the Court of France could not brook so near her a Soveraign Prince whose Territories were a Goad in her sides and might serve for an Inlet into France out of Germany Now in regard it is the Policy of a Minister of State to the end he may be lamented and desir'd after his Death to justifie his Conduct in the Eyes of the People Richlieu was willing to have for his Successour a Minister that should out-do him and finish what he had begun therefore he recommended Cardinal Mazarine an Italian by Birth and of mean Extraction naturally covetous and deceitful in whatever he undertook covering himself with the Foxes Skin the better to deceive others and play his own part not caring for whatever People said of him nor what Mischief was laid to his charge so he could bring about his Grand Design which was to get Money so that all the whole time of his Ministry he was call'd The Horsleech of the People By good luck he came to his Ministry during the Regency of a Credulous Queen and a Young King whom he Christen'd that he might acquire to himself the more Respect and Veneration It was easie for him both to imprint in the mind of this Young Prince and instill into him Precepts according to his own Humour which were to Sacrifice every thing to his own Interest Honour Word Alliances Edicts Promises Oaths when all these Vertues were opposite to his Aggrandizement That it behov'd a Prince that would be great to accommodate himself to the
be this must be agreed in their behalf that they are not only faithful to what they promise but stout upon all occasions as we may see by fourteen Battels which they fouth with the Emperour Fâ—â—derick and three others which they won from Charles the Bold the last Duke of Burgundy and all the Brave Atchievements which they per orm'd in Italy as well for as against France under the Reign of Charles the VIII Lewis XII and Francis I. And for that reason it is that since that time the Greatest Potentates of Europe have always sought their Friendship and their Alliance and that the French have caress'd 'em with a great deal of Artifice and Money not so much out of any Kindness which the French have for the Switzers or for the need which they have of their Men in time of Peace but for fear least the Cantons should enter into a Solemn Engagement with the House of Austria For which reason France is careful to stipulate in all the Treaties which she renews with the Cantons that they shall not send above such a number of Men to any other Foreign Princes and those only for the Guards of their Bodies The Embassadour of France has made choice of Soleurre for the Place of his Abode because the Inhabitants of that Canton are all zealous Roman Catholicks who pin their Faith with great Submission upon the Sincerity of their Curate and the Embassadour resides here to shew the Particular Honour which his Master has for the Roman Catholick Cantons above the Evangelick and that the Monks and Priests may have free Access to him who bear a great Sway among the Catholicks Moreover the little Summs of Money which the Embassadour scatters among the Chief of 'em procure him Creatures that still will be inclin'd to the Interests of France and readily stoop to the Lure And by this means it was that the French got leave to build the Fortress of Huninghen which as long as it stands will be a Hook in the Noses of the Inhabitants of Bale to lead 'em which way the Policy of France shall judge most convenient for her purposes Nor is it long since the Governour of that Fortress made an Essay whether the Cannon of that Place would reach as far as the City that he might take his Measures accordingly For whatsoever Protestations of Friendship France at present makes to the Cantons Lewis the XIV had rather be their Soveraign then their Confederate that Monarch has a long time cast a Covetous Eye upon Bale and Geneva and had e're this been Master of 'em had not other Considerations kept him within Bounds and were he once Master of those Barricado's of Switzerland the rest would soon be expos'd to the Misfortune of lying fit for his Convenience He is a Fox but he has Lyon's Claws and he makes use of his Head to deceive the Catholick Cantons under the Specious Pretence of Propagating Catholicity but he reserves his Paws for the Protestant Cantons There is no question but that among the Switzers among whom there are some who have travell'd and seen the World there are to be found several Persons sufficiently quick-sighted Politick and such as understand how Things are carry'd 'T is not long since a Difference happen'd in the Canton of Glaris which France first kindl'd and fomented to the utmost of her Power but Innocent the XI quickly stifl'd it by his Wisdom and Piety I am convinc'd that those Persons are deeply sensible of the Affronts which France puts upon 'em from time to time and with what Scorn she treats their Embassadours the last of which were forc'd to return without being able to procure Audience of the King after sedulous Applications to Colbert Croisy Secretary of State for the Foreign Affairs But the more prudent sort of Switzers you 'll say would fain have the Lyon chain'd and his Claws par'd before they fall upon him To which I Answer That the Switzers may contribute very much toward the Chaining of the Lyon as furious as he seems to be and yet not openly declare themselves neither by demanding the dismantling of Huninghen and for want of so doing by recalling their Men out of France which compose the greatest part of the French Infantry and are the only Combatants well seconded by the Cavalry upon which the French depend for all their Success The King of France is now Convinc'd of the Value of the Switzers and so has been ever since Louvois's Ministry Formerly they were not well belov'd at Court nay they were contemn'd but since the Alteration of the Face of Affairs they are at present consider'd for the Benefit which France receives from 'em like Twins that are ty'd together and must dye together I must confess that the Establishment of the Swiss Regiments is worth some Money to that Nation and discharges the Country of abundance of idle lazy People but I 'll maintain it that the French Service is the Plague and Destruction of vast numbers of Young Men of Good Protestant Families that ruine themselves by the Debaucheries of Wine and Women which always terminates in a Revolt against their Religion and their Country Which would never happen if they serv'd the Protestant Princes The Court of France knows well that she cannot fasten an Officer of Quality to her Interests with a stronger Tye so as to make him absolutely forget his own Country then by the Change of his Religion And therefore she Labours underhand by means of the Women and Monks and those Snares take Effect with the greatest part that are attack'd by those Vermin as was seen by the Example of the Two Stoupa's Not to reckon the more Inferiour Sort all the Swiss Officers and Soldiers as well those that serve in France as those that are sent to the Mines in Sweden I look upon 'em equally lost both to their Families and their Country for they never return again unless they make their Escapes by some sort of Stratagem but it may be said that the Pleasure and Voluptuousness of France is so great that they are pleas'd with their Misfortune There they are bred and there they dye to make room for other New Commers who are Tempted thither like Young Pigeons with the smell of Roasted Dogs France has had no place from whence to supply her self during this War but the Swiss Cantons Some Seamen she may get indeed from the North but for Land-Soldiers of necessity it behoves her to caress and embrace the Helvetian Body without whose Assistance the French would never be able to bring such Numerous Armies into the Field And the Switzers are the Only Persons upon which the King of France may depend so long as he keeps his Word with 'em and that he pays 'em what he contracts for and what he promises Nor will they stand to the Losses of his enhauncing and re-inhauncing his Money They must have their Money pay'd according to the old value set down and agreed