Zell I have shew'd I say what reason these Princes have to suspect their Fidelity But let us now see how much on the contrary the Fidelity of Hasfield who is born the Subject of the King of Sweden ought to be suspected to the King his Master His Birth is so well known in the World that it would be superfluous to speak of it here unless that I had a mind to say that being born of a French Father and Mother it is not to be wonder'd that he inherits and fosters their inclinations Yet this may be objected to him that after his Family had been rais'd from nothing if I may say so by the benefits of the Crown of Sweden and that he was born in that Kingdom all the other Obligations ought to be effaced insomuch that what was a Virtue in his Father is a Crime in him And indeed who can think without having a contempt of his Person that while France carries it so sparkishly towards the King his Master he still conspires with it to bring all Germany into Slavery Was it not him who took so many Voyages to Strasburgh when it was more easie for him than others to negotiate by reason of the Language of the Country which is familiar to him as also for that he was there the less suspected Is it not he who is daily hatching Cabals in Sweden where he knows the Great Men are discontented by reason of the vast Estates which the King has taken from them because they were rather Profusions than Liberalities made by the Kings Predecessors I only take to Witness the great Men of that Kingdom and whether it be not true that in a Debauch where seven or eight were present one of the Company told the other that if Hasfields Counsel was followed they should set up a Teckely among them that is to say a Head of the Male-Contents But I pass many other things o're in silence be it as it will there 's no saying but that France does well reward the services that one does it Besides his receiving good Pensions from thence and great Presents it advances all his Family while it ne're thinks of the best Families of the Kingdom which ne'retheless do not a little want it He has two Brothers one of whom is suddenly to be a Bishop the other an Abbot the King having promised it him and never failing in his word unless we except what he and his Ministers call Word of State. There are still two others one of whom is at Hambourg upon the account of the French King a worthy Brother of Mr. Hasfield that is to say just as ready as he to sell Germany if the thing was in his power and the other remains in Sueden and he it is that gives notice of all occurences in that Kingdom Now all these noble Blades Sons of Mr. Bidal that famous Bankrupt whom Boileau has not fail'd to glance upon in his Satyrs but now he is obliged by an express order from Court to raze it out when he puts his Works again to the Press For Mr. Hasfield doing such mighty feats to render his name worthy of immortality it is but justice there should not remain so many Monuments of his Infamy Wherefore the means to prevent all these abuses is to follow the Example which France does now it self set the world For it not only Confiscates all the Estates of its Subjects who go into the Service of other States but it also forbids 'em to serve under pain of Corporal punishment Mean while if we see it has indulgence for some we can only infer from thence what I have noted namely that those Persons serve for its Spyes about the Princes by whom they are employ'd which is but too true Let us hence Conclude that so long as there is no Care taken to remedy these abuses it is impossible we should be successful in our measures but that on the contrary France will have all the advantages it can desire For can it be expected we should happily accomplish an Enterprize whereof France had long had notice before we went about to put it in execution Moreover let 's add to this that it is not yet sufficient that a Prince should distrust his Ministers or change them he must be his own Minister and know that tho' there be one person in his Council proof against temptation there will be a thousand that will stoop to the lure In effect let him but make reflection that hiring out himself very commonly as at this day is but too frequently practised to him that gives most his Ministers may well do the same thing and the rather for that they want more than he does the money which is offered them There remains something to be said touching the remedy that ought to be applied to so many mischiefs wherewith we find our selves overwhelmed at this day But as I can only offer what several persons have said before me I rather choose to be silent than to repeat so many useless matters and besides for the most part more speculative than real For when I make reflection upon what I have read in so many passages and heard spoken in so many places that all Protestants ought to unite together in Default of Catholicks to oppose their Common ruine ought not we to Conclude that it is much more easie to reason after this manner than to see the effect of that Argumentation For how can they expect that the Protestants all alone should undertake a war against France while the Catholicks are daily upon the Catch to surprize ' em We see at this day a fair Example of their Intention by which it is easie for us to judge of the Confidence we may put therein I mean the usage the Protestants meet with in Silesia and the other Neighbouring Provinces at a time when they themselves are under Desolation and stand in full need of our Assistance But they had rather all the Empire should Perish than slacken their Cruelties in the least The House of Austria does not see that the Authors of all these Councels I mean the Jesuits only give it them out of Interest It is still willing to Sacrifice to them the rest of the Empire whereof it has already Sacrificed to them a good part Mean while let it not be imagined that all I here say proceeds from any natural aversion against them upon the account of my Religion I protest before God that I hate no body and that I would not impute to them any of our mischiefs if I did not see that all worthy People even of their own Religion love 'em no more than I do The World is sufficiently acquainted with their strange avidity to have the Estates of those four Hungarian Lords whom the Emperor caused to be beheaded to Comply rather with their pressing Instances than for any Crime which was in them at least unless you will say it is a Crime to be zealous for ones Religion But as all I can here say would be to as little purpose as what so many other Persons have said before me the best I can do is to make an end and own that our mischiefs are at such a period as well as those of all Germany that none but God can save us FINIS
desir'd him that the eldest of his Family might be ever called Saladin that Posterity curious of knowing why they bore so extraordinary a name among Christians might know at the same time the generous Action he had perform'd Those of that Family have been careful to remember the request of Saladin to their Ancestor All the Eldest of that Family have successively after one another taken the name of Saladin so that the Count D. Estages who is the Eldest of that Family is still at this day called by that Name If I might be allowed to make any reflections upon this matter it would be no hard task for me to prove that the present Age is very different from the former Heretofore a Christian kept his word with a Turk and now a most Christian King does not keep his with his Father in-Law At this day the Descendants of a Christian are called Saladin because their Father promised it to a Turk and now a most Christian King neither minds the Word which his Predecessors gave their Subjects of the Reformed Religion nor that he himself has given them At this day the House of Anglure which is only the Family of a Gentleman derives all its Glory from that their Forefather executed the promise he had given a Turk and now the House of France which is the most August House of Europe derives all its glory from infringing an infinite number of Edicts which it has granted to Christians But to return unto my Subject the French King grounding himself as I have said upon his imaginary Pretensions and upon the Parliaments not having ratified the Treaty of the Pyrences resolv'd to break the Peace and carry his Arms into Flanders Mean while as I cannot proceed on farther without first giving an account of the Authority of this Parliament for fear some should judge its Power extended as far as that of another Country it is convenient that it be known that the least Order of Council Cashiers all Acts of Parliament and that its Power is now so limited that though the matters in hand be only the interests of private Persons the Council does often attribute to it self the taking Cognizance of 'em and thus makes a mock of all the Parliament could Decree Nevertheless its Authority was formerly very great nay and it 's not long since that it was to so high a Point that it was look'd upon by all with Admiration I mean the time of the Kings Minority but that time is now so much chang'd that a man may say there 's now no knowing the Parliament again And even in that time I mean the time this Manifest appear'd in the King had stript it of all its Priviledges had banish'd all those Members out of it who were suspected by him because they stood well affectioned to the publick good and to say all in a word contemn'd it to that Degree as to go to it no otherwise than in great Boots and with a Cane in his hand Nay he plum'd it of its very name as well as the name of all the other Tribunals For to shew that none but he was Master he caused an Edict to be issued forth by which neither the Parliament nor the great Council nor the Chamber of Accounts nor the Court of Aids ought thenceforward to be called more than the Superior Courts whereas before they were called the Soveraign Courts Nay and he had publish'd another Edict too which seem'd to me still more injurious for whereas when there was a design of any new Subsidies or of some other Innovation in the State he was used to go thither in Person to have his Edicts verifyed he had ordered the Parliament to verify them upon a meer Note under the Privy Signet which he most commonly sent by a Foot-man so as that this August Tribunal which had been instituted formerly as a Man may say to be the Mediator between the People and the King and to save the one from the Tyranny of the other was it self oblig'd to buckle under his will and pleasure for there was no more talking of making Remonstrances which those of the same Company formerly made to stir up Kings to have compassion of their People And if any were allowed to be made they were only such as were stufft with Flatteries and Dissimulation and just as certain Fathers make their Children sometimes kiss the Rods wherewith they come to Chastise them in like manner were the People who are the Kings Children or at least who ought to be so to thank the King by the mouth of their Magistrates for all the Imposts he lays upon them to satisfy his Profusions Nevertheless it was upon the Authority which the Parliament had in the Kingdom that the King laid the Foundations of an approaching War as I have already said In effect the King of Spain being dead there straight appeared a small Tract under the Name of the Rights of the Queen in which it was endeavoured to be prov'd that the Renunciation which the King had made to his Rights by the Treaty of the Pyrenees was Null seeing the Parliament could never be brought to verify the Treaty That though this Renunciation were good which however they were far from granting it could not always subsist by reason of the Dauphin who had not yet Ratifyed it and yet who had the greatest Interest therein as being one day to be his Mothers Heir In fine this Treatise was only filled with trim words and few reasons For to begin with the first true it is the Parliament was us'd to verify what passed most remarkable in the Kingdom but that this was absolutely essential is what I deny and which I shall endeavour to disprove For Example if a Marriage of a King be concluded with a Princess the Parliament has nothing to do in the Contract and we do not find it was suffered to take Cognizance of that of Henry the Fourth with Mary of Medices and to start a matter still of latter Date of that of the Dauphin with the Dauphiness And yet in this occasion the thing perhaps was of as much moment as the Renunciation which the King made by the Treaty of the Pyrenees Yes but may be one or other may tell me that the species is very different for a Treaty of Peace is concern'd in establishing the repose of the People whereas a Treaty of Marriage only regards the establishing the Society of two Persons I 'le own with them that their reason is specious but easy to refute For if it be upon the account of the Interest of the People that the Treaties of Peace ought to be Ratified by the Parliament why does it not also verify Treaties of War as well as Treaties of Peace They will needs have that a Treaty which banishes War and brings back repose into a State instead of Troubles and Confusion which reign therein are subject to verification and will not allow that a Treaty of War which must banish
Peace and bring along Disorder instead of the repose which all enjoy should be verifyed by Parliament which nevertheless was only instituted to be watchful for the Preservation of the People Let us rather say that this Custom of thus verifying Treaties of Peace was only introduced since it was Enacted that Royal Gifts should be verified in Parliaments and that those which were not so should be of no consideration and this to hinder Kings who are commonly inclined to liberality from giving away all their Patrimony and so compelled for want of means to vex and oppress the People Let us I say conclude that the Parliament seeing that by some Treaties of Peace considerable Alienations had been made and principally under John the first to retrieve them out of the hands of the English and since under Francis the first to retrieve them out of the hands of the Spaniards had attributed to it self the Authority of verifying Treaties to hinder thence forward the Dissipation of the Crown Lands But there 's more which is that tho' it were a Law receiv'd in France that the Parliament may find fault with those Treaties it has not verified this ought to be understood if the Treaties were not made in the forms or that they were prejudicial to the Crown In what remains there 's no saying that France receives any prejudice by the Treaty of the Pyrenees not but that this Treaty was concluded with all the usual Formalities In regard of the Formalities they had been so far observ'd that this had kept the matter much longer depending than was necessary for the repose of the People who after so long a War only breathed after Peace For they thought it not sufficient that Lienne Pimentel had set their hands to the Treaty but for the rendring it the more August to future Ages Cardinal Mazarine and Don Lewis de Haro Prime Ministers of the two Crowns would needs sign it themselves too so as that one may say it was the most solemn and authentick Treaty that has been of a long while Besides they had observed therein all the Circumstances imaginable namely as holding the Conferences in a place which belonged neither to France nor Spain which however is Note-worthy For this shews they were willing then Spain should go Peer-with France but since it will not be allowed as I said just before one may say it had been Ratified but what rendred this Treaty free from all manner of scruple not only by the King but also by all France In effect the Principal among the Clergy and Nobility had signed the Contract of Marriage between the King and the Infanta wherein was contained the abovementioned Renunciation so as that it was a mistake to say that the Parliament which can at most but represent the Orders of the Kingdom would not approve a Treaty which was already approved on by the King by the Clergy and by the Nobility In regard of what I said before that this Treaty brought no prejudice to France that will be also easy for me to prove For tho' France had then much the advantage over Spain yet it is nevertheless to be considered that this advantage might one day turn against it self being obliged to share his Conquests with England which was then in its alliance Now without specifying by retail what are the dangerous Consequences which I might draw from this sharing it 's sufficient for me to say that the interest of France was not to give one foot to the Englishman in Flanders who was a much more dangerous Enemy than the Spaniard Besides by this Treaty France made sure of the greatest part of its Conquest and changed into a certain Right the Right of Nations which was a Right subject to all the divers events of Fortune In regard of what was objected that the Dauphin had not ratified the Renunciation of the Queen this is a feeble objection and such as merits no answer For tell me I beseech you a Father and a Mother do not they engage their Children when they sign a Contract And why had the Dauphin more right to disclaim what the King and Queen had signed than those had who live under the same Laws and same Monarch All these considerations do sufficiently shew that all that was in the Treatise of the Queens Rights was only to impose upon the common people and particularly those of Flanders who being once perswaded that the Queen had some right to their Provinces were capable of fomenting a Rebellion to which they had other provocations through the ill treatment they received from the Spanish Souldiery who for want of pay broke out into several violences Thus as it was a point of prudence to prevent all ill consequences of this kind by undeceiving them with the soonest the Baron d'Isola one of the Ministers of the house of Austria set pen to paper and made a small treatise to shew the nullity of the consequences which the Author of the tract of the Queens Rights pretended to draw And a great number of Copies were distributed both in Flanders Germany and other places of the neighbourhood Nay some were transmitted into France but the Court thinking fit that their Nation should make its ambition an Article of their Faith made an exact search after the Stationers who had distributed them two or three of whom were sent to the Bastile and were in great danger of their Life for as it was not allowed in that Kingdom to write truth in matter of Religion so too in matter of Policy it was not allowed to speak it or hear it from any one soever For which reason as well those who bought this Book as those who vended them were obliged to skulk as if they had done some great crime But the more they endeavoured to constrain Peoples wills the more they strove to render themselves free so as all worthy People not minding the prohibition that had been made sought to satisfy their Curiosity By vertue of these imaginary pretentions the King failed not to send to summon the Governour of the Low-Countreys to remit into his hands the places he pretended to belong unto the Queen And as he did a little doubt this Governour would not comply with his demands with a powerful Army he follow'd the Person he had sent to him in order to the seizing them His Envoy bringing him back word that the Governour of the Low-Countreys had order from the King his Master not to yield up the least he entred Flanders took Charle Roy At h Courtray Oudenarde and Lisle while that the Marshal d' Aumons with another Army attack'd such Cities as Bordered next upon the Sea. These Conquests which were made with great rapidity amaz'd all the Neighbouring Potentates They thought it their interest to stop the Course of these progresses especially the United Provinces who had no mind to so formidable and so ambitious a Neighbour Whereupon they engag'd with the King of England to sign