hand acquir'd thereby many Creatures it is a Maxime which has long since succeeded well with them and particularly at the Court of England during the last Reigns those Emissaries have labour'd with so much zeal and heat and return'd so frequently to the charge doubling the Dose when there was occasion that they often succeeded and by those means have opposed themselves to the best Designs which the Emperor and the soundest part of the Empire could have had But suppose that the Empire had been in as good an harmony as it is at present through the good Union there is betwixt the Emperor and his Princes and that France had nothing to do but with the Empire alone I maintain that by only setting it self in a posture of Defence on the side of Germany it might make 〈◊〉 Master of a good pare of the Spâ—â—â—sh Netherlands if its Neighbourâ— oppos'd not themselves to it before the Emperor could remedy it Besides that since the taking of Luxembourg the passage is partly block'd up to the Germans and all that they could do werâ— to draw near to Burgundy and to Alsatia or form some considerable Siege to draw the Arms of France that way but as that would have hel'd the Germans long in hand the French King would notwithstanding do his business in Flanders But if England had had on its Throne as it has at present a King well intention'd for the welfare of Europe and the particular good of his own People he might alone stop the French King in the apprehension he has of landing Men on his Coasts in his own Kingdom and this truth is so certain that Lewis the XIV as powerful as he has been as high as he would seem to be has never undertaken any thing that way but after he had consulted the Kings of England then Reigning and even Cromwell himself while he usurped the Government of the three Kingdoms Thus we have seen that this Monarch before getting into Flanders had sweetned the Court of England by the means of his Honey he taught them to speak French and to like whatever he did undertake and quietly to let him so fast advance that at last it had no longer been in the power of the English to drive him back I know that France alone knows how much this has cost it but what matters at what rate so one obtains ones Desires Thus the most Christian King having dispos'd England on that side and having strength enough as doubtless he has to set a considerable Army on foot on the side of Germany besides that 〈◊〉 Flanders that he is in a condiâ—â—â— to hazard a Battle with the Impâ—rialists and their Allies if these laâ—â— had the ill fortune to be beaten a that may happen the Success beinâ— various it is certain That then thâ— Germans would have much to dâ— to rally again into any Body thaâ— were capable to do any advantageous Exploit that Campaign foâ— the good of Flanders there being nothing that wastes more thâ— Troops that are compos'd of diverâ— Members and under divers Chiefs than the ill success of a first Campaign And there needs sometime but one Ally to decline the common Interest like the Pin of a Carriage to put all the rest out of power to do any thing and to break the best Designs which might have been form'd and it would be in such like occasion that the Pride of France would swell and that the usurping Torrent would over-run its bounds more than ever on the Netherlands which would be without hope of Remedies if they were to wait for succour from Germany as it may easily be judged by what I have said and which might easily have happen'd there being nothing impossible in it Moreover France which has most strong Reasons to be on its guard and to always fear has long since so well provided for its Frontier places on all sides that it will require of its Enemies almost a whole Campaign to carry one only of any importance Since France has left the way to Italy the King is so fully persuaded that the Conquest of the seventeen United Provinces of the Netherlands would facilitate him the ways to that of Europe but particularly of the Empire that he has apply'd himself wholly to it and has always endeavoured to amuse by illusive Promises part of those very Provinces while that he render'â— himself Master of the other partâ— under the Dominion of Spain having first lull'd England asleep France requiring only the favour to decide alone that Dispute with Spain But that Lewis the XIV might accomplish that first Design on the Spanish Netherlands there was a necessity that the States of the United Provinces which had a notable interest in the preservation of the Neighbouring Provinces under their lawful Prince should give their helping hand to their ruine or at leasâ— should look on that Monarch without moving till he had come on their Frontiers But there was but little likelihood of that wherefore the French King foreseeing well that those States would never fall in that Lethargy nor would permit to have their hands ty'd up while a conceal'd Enemy approach'd them and penn'd them up close taking from them â—ittle by little all those Places which were to serve them as Bars â—t was for that very Reason that that Monarch did on the sudden alter his mind and beholding according to his Desires what he had long expected a Catholick Prince on the Throne of England who had for divers years been in â—is Pay allowing him consiâ—erable Pensions when yet he was â—ut Duke of York and consequently â—id entirely possess and obseade him He made use of the ill Diposition of the new King in his Concerns with the States General â—o that it was no longer difficult â—or the French King who waited â—ut for that moment to accomâ—lish his Project thus those two Kings the one push'd on by his Ambition the other by his ill Inâ—lination join'd together to Exerminate the Seven United Proâ—inces under the fair and specious pretence of Religion and Extirpating of Heresie that tâ—â— other Catholick Princes who weâ— concern'd in the Preservation 〈◊〉 the United Provinces might neâ—â— oppose themselves to such an hoâ—â— Work and so lull them asleeâ— If that business had succeeded 〈◊〉 Lewis the XIV he had withoâ—â— striking one blow render'd hiâ—self Master all under one of tâ—â— Spanish Netherlands and after thaâ— made use of all the Forces of 〈◊〉 Kingdom together with those 〈◊〉 his Conquests to enter into Geâ—many and directly March to thâ— Empire follow'd with an Armâ— of more than an Hundred Thousand Men what Prince of thâ—â— Empire or the Emperor himselâ— could have disputed the Busineâ—â— with him or have put a stop 〈◊〉 his March But for so great a Work it waâ— necessary to fasten England firmâ—â— to his Interests and to pull dowâ— â—he States of the United Provinces which was the chiefest Business 〈◊〉 not being likely that Soveâ—aigns who so well
it is not to be doubted extremly surpriz'd to see himself stopp'd on the sudden by that surprizing Change which has so lately happen'd in England and who can doubt but that this change of Soveraigns has been a Mortal Blow to him seeing that by that means he not only sees his Great and Ambitious Desigâ—â—s overturn'd and in lieu of a near Ally and intimate Friend he finds on the Throne none but an unrecon-cilable Enemy burning with Zeal for the Preservation of Europe and with a desire of Punishing thâ— Usurper and that which is yeâ— more sensible to France is thaâ— this New Monarch will not fail oâ— being Seconded by all the Christian Princes We have seen England in changing of Master to make the face of the Affairs oâ— Europe change also especially in the Low-Countries the decree of their Ruine having been determined between the Two Kings Lewis the XIV and James the II. after that France had long consider'd the United Provinces aâ— the only Obstacle that could prevent it from Conquering the rest of Europe well knowing that those States would at all times Oppose themselves to the Ruine of their Neighbours push'd on by a Motive of Generosity of Equity and of Interest also Therefore the King of France could not perceive which way he should go about to overcome his Opponents but in mining and in destroying totally those Provinces thereby shutting them out of the power of hindring him or of opposing his Design and that he could not do without England's consent Wherefore after the death of Charles the Second he so dextrously did embark King James in his Design and set him at variance with his Parliament through Religious Motives by ridiculous demands of the abolishing of the Test and Penal Laws which had been established for the support of the Kingdom and the preservation of the Establish'd Religion France was assur'd that by that means it should set the King and Parliament out of power or reuniting again and that by those means Lewis the XIV should oblige that Prince whom he led by the Nose to apply himself to him for Mony which he certainly knew the Parliament would refuse him that in case they should grant it to him it should be on such conditions which the King would not accept And thus that ill advis'd Pâ—â—nce would not fail to turn himself towards France as he has done and to let himself be obseded and won by fair but false Promises to render him absolute Master over his People and his Parliament with which Lewis the XIV has so long fed and entertain'd with dexterity the weak Imagination of his Ally that he has lull'd him asleep into a Lethargy very opposite to his right Interest to that of his People and even to that of all Europe of which it may be said That England holds the Scales In the year 1672. France was already working on her project against the United States through the means of England if we consider with what weakness Charles the Second permitted himself to be ty'd up by those Treaties he made contrary to so many Obligations which he had to the said States and of his particular Interest feeding himself with hopes of a share in those said Provinces before they were taken With what weakness did the same Prince sell to France the Town of Dunkirk and behold with his Arms folded Lewis the XIV take the principal places of the Spanish Netherlands not only Cambray Valencienne S. Omers Erre but so many others al-also which were as so many bulwarks to stay the fury of Lewis the XIV And ever after the Peace of Nimeguen have not whole Provinces submitted to the French Yoke And while that under the shelter of that Peace other Soveraigns had disbanded their Forces France alone kept his Arms because it knew what it was hatching and what it design'd to do The Town of Luxembourg was a Thorn in its side and it would be Master of it and Charles the Second was as little mov'd or it as if he had been pay'd to let him do and say nothing and behold unconcern'd that place taken from the Spaniard Free Europe which little by little saw one Province after another and one Town after another submitted to France did frequently cast its Eye towards the Parliament of England in hopes to receive some relief from that part but France had so well taken its measures there that before that Illustrious Body was assembled divers Lords at the sound of Louis d'Ors were become deaf to the Complaints of the generality and some amongst them had even lost the use of Speech and were become motionless for the publick good and that of the Nation and so soon as the House of Commons began to harp on that string the King made use of his Authority to prorogue them to another time and so business run in the same course again and gave leave to France to continue its way to gain Conquest on Conquest In the mean time the true English men who are the most jealous of their Liberties of any Nation were forc'd to be silent and quietly behold themselves hedg'd in on all sides without opposing it nor daring to complain Those that were lukewarm would frequently ask Why the Spaniards and the Imperialists who had most interest in it did not oppose themselves to that Tâ—rrent and to those French Conquests I confess that if they could have done it alone they ought to have gone about it and they can never be excus'd for having neglected it but those who know a little the Affairs of the World are not ignorant of the misery Spain is fallen into during the minority of a King and that the Netherlands are far remote from the Empire which has many Heads and which of truth cannot assist them without its Allyes that are nearest to those Provinces who are the King of England and the States of the United Provinces The Emperor has continually the Turks at his doors over which he is to keep a strict watch at all times Besides as I have already mentioned the Empire 's compos'd of divers Members who have each their Soveraign and their different Interests and therefore a long time is required and divers Springs must play to set so great a Machine going and frequently before the resolution of it be taken France has done its do and then it speaks of Peace and of Accommodation by which means Lewis XIV has for the most part kept his Conquests if they deserve that Name after which every one retires home disbands France makes shew to do the same and if it acquiesces so far to disband some Troops in one part of the Kingdom it raises others in another and thus remains still in the same posture to do mischief ready to attempt some new thing so soon as it finds any favourable opportunity In that interval France did not remain quiet it had its Emissaries in all the Courts of Germany who using the slight of
England is to keep continually at Sea that in conjunction with that of the States General he may be Master of the Sea and not only give an Allarm on the Coasts of France but make a descent also in Two different places so soon as possible it can be done then will that Kingdom be in a Combustion and the King of it will lose the North not knowing what place first to Succour as a City that the Fire seizes in all Places and those that shall Land there may be assur'd to be Seconded by a great number of the Inhabitants all along that Coast and from the Neighbouring Provinces William the III. now Reigning ought to be certain that his Predecessors have not for nothing preserv'd that Title of King of France the Rights of Kings never grow out of Date they are always Pupils and at liberty to claim what has wrongfully been taken from them So long as England shall subsist the Kings will have a double Right to France which will never be lost so long as Henry the V. shall have any Successors to the Crown of England he was Son to Margarite of France and she Daughter to Philip le Bell whose Sons deceas'd without Successors to the Crown of France and that Henry as a further Right Married the Daughter of Charles the VI. Being come to France it was decreed by the States of the Kindom that he should be their King after the Death of Charles the VI. and in that Quality the Queen his Mother in Law made him Heir of all her Means and of the Crown of France I am perswaded that there would not need any thing near so much to Lewis the XIV to frame an irrevocable Pretension on England and that the Royal Chamber of Metz would very readily confirm it without the least trouble but there is no such thing on the contrary there has happen'd a time in which all the deceits and subtleties of France begin very much to unstitch and to be thread-bare William the III. has overturn'd the Bankers Tables which the French King's Emissaries had set up in all places their false Coin is no longer currant their Money is cry'd down their Lewis D'Ors which were Worshipped as the Heathen do their Puppets are grown odious to honest People at least the occasion of their Distribution and they are no more capable to corrupt at this time than is the Copper of Sweede Thus France beginning to be cried down by all Christendom and to be slighted in all the Courts of the Princes of Europe it has chang'd its Game and endeavours to imitate those ancient Curtisans who being grown old and wither'd are cast off and abandon'd by every body who alter the Passion once had for them which obliges them also to an alteration in turning Biggots and Superstitious endeavouring to counterfeit Mary-Magdalen thereby to regain that esteem of the People which they had lost by their debauched Lives Thus Lewis the XIV to draw on new Friends and Allies the better to oppose himself to the King of Great Britain and perceiving that all his Credit with the Catholick Princes is at an end that none will any longer confide in him and that his Maxims are cried down he has taken in hand other Means much more subtle than the precedent were he no longer speaks to them of his own Interests but he now Proclaims to them That they must come to the Assistance of the Catholick Religion That it was aimed at when King James his Ally was Attack'd and that he has no other design of making War but for the support of that dear Religion especially by the re-establishment of that Prince on his Throne that if all the Catholicks would but join with him or remain Neuter that he alone will undertake to Re-establish him and at the same time the Catholick Religion in England and Scotland and after â—hat beat down Heresie in its very Center But all this while Lewis the XIV is far from telling what he conceals under those specious Pretences which would be that after he had pull'd down William the III. overcome the Protestant Princes he would do the like to all the Roman Catholicks one after another and thus become Master of Europe 〈◊〉 â—erâ—ain that the diversity of Religion has always been as a large and vast Abiss betwixt the Catholick and the Protestant Princes but the Cruelty and Perfidiousness of the French has fill'd up that Abiss and levell'd the way between them and all difficulties are at present laid aside Even the French King himself unknowingly has given a help in hand to the Business with all his Power for while he endeavours to perswade all the World that he has no other aim than to promote the Catholick Faith and that he Preaches in all places his Conversions that he importunes the Pope to join with him for the Defence of the Church and just in the height of such a fair Mission in all appearance he orders his Troops to enter into the Territories of the Catholick Princes to Attack those of the Prelates of the Church and even to insult the Pope though Head of that Religion which he protests he would defend burning and destroying all over Germany where his Troops but set their Foot without exception of Religion nor of Persons Sacrificing to their Rage the most Sacred Places their Insolence not sparing so much as the Monasteries of the Virgins devoted to the Service of God nor their impiety the Image of our Saviour and that of the holy Virgin his Mother which they have Treated with the greatest Indignation and irreverence that any Atheist could have been guilty of acting in all places like Men that had no Faith and that acknowledg'd no God and all this too as the whole World knows against the promis'd Faith of Treaties and Capitulations which they own they have agreed to but to enter the further and with more ease into Places and to put in Execution their Wicked and Pernicious Designs the King threatning to Cashier those Officers that should not execute with all barbarousness and exactly with the last extremity the Orders of the Court as if they had been sent to put an end to the Would by Fire before the appointed time by Divine Providence After all this how can so cruel and so inhumane a Prince take upon him the Title of Most Christian and while that by an over-plus of Crimes he joyns with the Turks to exterminate and ruine Christendom assuring those Infidels that he has not taken up Arms but to come to their Assistance and to procure them tâ—◠〈◊〉 to recover what they have lost in Hungary and to return before Vienna It is no small trouble to that Most Christian King to have mist his oportunity during the last Siege of Vienna not to have advanc'd with his Army which was ready at hand into Germany without expecting as he did the taking of Vienna but he then believing the loss of it inevitable he thought