first Disturbances amongst those Princes or at least keep 'em in awe and infuse Jealousie into 'em as he has formerly done to the other Princes of Europe his Neighbours thought best after this Baffle to engage the young Duke by another Artifice and that was to propose to him one of his own Daughters in Marriage His most Christian Majesty's Interest was yet so good at the Court of Turin that the Dutchess Dowager and his Royal Highness's Council preferr'd this Proffer of Madamoiselle d'Orleans to others of the Emperour and some Princes of Italy The Fear of enraging so powerful a Monarch as that of France and who might prove so dangerous a Neighbour who had moreover formerly at the Death of his Royal Highness's Father Charles Emanuel the second consented to be his Guardian soon enclin'd the Council of Turin to accept Madamoiselle d'Orleans before either the Princess of Newburgh or Tuscany This was a Marriage therefore where Policy and Fear had a greater share than Inclination and consequently his Royal Highness could not expect but what he has since so often experienc'd to his cost Nevertheless what has already happen'd is nothing in respect of what in all Probability may hereafter befal him It may be his Destiny has reserv'd a Scourge that shall prove fatal both to him his Successours and the general Repose of Italy besides These are the Presages of such as are well vers'd in the Politicks of these times and without any farther penetrating into Futurity for my own part I dare affirm that one of these things must inevitably happen either that France bound its Ambition on this side of Italy or that she become one Day Mistriss of all Savoy The French King's Pretensions to this Dutchy and the present Posture of Affairs encline him naturally to that end and the only shift his Royal Highness seems to have had left was to have persisted in that just War in Conjunction with the most Serene Allies The potent Princes which compose this League have not been wanting to represent often to him by their Ministers his slippery Proceedings whilst he gave ear to the flattering Promises of the common Enemy His Imperial and Catholick Majesty's Envoys were even tir'd with proffering their important Reasons which were so capable to undeceive him but his Royal Highness rather enclin'd to be seduc'd by the Emissaries of France than preserv'd by the wholsome Advice of the Allies the Difference between which being that the Council and Promises of the Confederates were solid and real when those of France were full of nothing but Venom Deceit and Chimera's But to search deeper into the Court of Turin which is without dispute one of the most subtle and politick in in Europe it is asolutely necessary to trace back their first Differences with the French King After which we intend to follow his Royal Highness Step by Step in his Conduct during this War as well in regard to the French King as to the most Serene Allies At the beginning of the Year 1690 the French King having resolv'd to carry the War into Italy the Duke of Fuensalida Governour of Milan with all the diligence imaginable began to raise Troops fill up Magazines and repair his Fortifications to the end that he might be in a Condition to oppose the Progresses of the French who were then marching towards Italy But at the same time what most perplex'd this Governour was the Conduct of the Court of Turin which was a Riddle so obscure that even the most refin'd Politicians were not able to solve it This gave him more Disturbance than all the Preparations of France For on one hand he suspected the D. of Savoy to have underhand made a tripple Alliance with the French King and D. of Modena to joyn their Forces together and fall upon the Milaneze and on the other he observed this Prince so very wavering that he knew not what to think of him For at the same time that he promis'd the French King to stand Neuter he engaged his Word to the Emperour and King of Spain that he would declare on their side The different Dispositions of his Royal Highness at this Juncture and his studi'd Conduct of Affairs might very well augment the Jealousies and Suspicions of the French King who began to fear that this Prince might at length play him an Italian Trick The French therefore who are generally very wary made it their chief Business to observe his Actions closely and having discover'd something that seem'd to bode 'em no good his Most Christian Majesty immediately sent him word That he was not at all satisfi'd with his Neutrality but further requir'd the Citadels of Verceil and Turin for Security of his Promise This haughty Message from the French King did not at all discompose the Duke he was resolv'd upon an even Temper the better to carry on his Designs Therefore he contented himself for the present with only desiring the French King to allow him some Time for an Answer This pacifi'd the angry Monarch for a while hoping thereby to obtain from him an exact Neutrality which was all that he desir'd to the end that the French might the more easily enter Italy and facilitate the Conquest of Milan During this the Emissaries of France at his Royal Highness's Court discover'd another Proceeding which extreamly augmented their Jealousies and that was That the Duke was about to forsake their Interest and engage in that of the Emperour All the World knows his Royal Highness pretends a Right to the Kingdom of Cyprus since Lewis the Third Duke or Savoy married Charlotte Widow of John King of Portugal Daughter of John Son of James Paleologus Emperour of the East who gave for Portion to his said Daughter Charlotte the Kingdom of Cyprus in such manner that this Lewis Duke of Savoy was Crown'd King of Cyprus in presence of John de Lusignan King of Cyprus his Father-in-Law From thence the Dukes of Savoy have the Title of Royal Highness and bear an Arch'd Crown which the Kings of France or other Princes of Europe have never disputed always giving 'em proportionable Respect the Emperour only excepted who wou'd never yet allow them that Regal Character His Royal Highness considering there was now a favourable Opportunity for him since the Emperour thought fit to engage him by his Ministers to break with France made use of the Occasion to offer a Million of Florins to his Imperial Majesty provided he would acknowledge him King of Cyprus and allow him the same Honours which the King of France and other Princes had always done His Royal Highness further propos'd to his Imperial Majesty That he would buy the Fiefs which he had got in Savoy and the Republick of Genoa which properly belong'd to the Emperour for both which he proffer'd vast Sums of Money not doubting in the least but such Proposals wou'd be hearken'd to at a time especially when the Emperour had so great Occasion for Money to support
many August Princes whose only Aim is the Repose of Christendom and Security of Europe he will be under the greatest Surprise imaginable to hear that His Royal Highness without any regard to an Alliance solemnly sworn before the Abbot Grimani the Emperor's Minister should all of a sudden take off the Mask and forsake a Party which had sacrific'd but too much for his Support This Conduct of his can have no other Cause than the pernicicious Counsels of his Cabinet-Ministers who having been under-hand corrupted by the Artifices and vast Sums of Money of the French Court have undoubtedly occasion'd all these Proceedings so very opposite to his true Interest Those that are best acquainted with his Royal Highness differ something in his Character They all agree he is a Man of Sense and Wit Active Generous and Brave But some add he is exceedingly Covetous which is plain enough by his scraping up above Twenty Millions during this War But who are those that have so well advis'd his Highness Is not the Count of Bens President of the Council of War one of ' em And that as he is a great Time-server full of Design and Dissimulation One whose more peculiar Character is to be a downright Courtier since he will freely offer his Service and shew great Kindness to his Visitors but seldom or never obliges any * After this manner he behav'd himself towards the English Ministers when they visited him whilst at the same time he made a more hearty Welcome to the Emissaries of France He will wait upon People out of his very Doors with the greatest Civility imaginable which might very well gain him the Repute of a most officious and obliging Person did not his Hypocrisie glare thro' his Courtesie and detect the Malignity of his Intentions After this refin'd Courtier comes the Prince of Carignan his Royal Highness's Uncle who troubles himself but little with Affairs of State choosing rather to live like a Stoick than Politician his Genius confining him wholly to a supine Neglect of all Business and Publick Affairs Next comes the Chevalier Tane the Duke's Favourite who understands the Art of Dissimulation and Flattery so perfectly well that he easily distinguishes himself to be a Jesuite of some standing This Person has a great Ascendant over his Royal Highness insomuch that whatever he says or does cannot fail to meet with Applause In a word he is the Apollo of Turin and his Decisions are listned to as Oracles After him is the Marquess of St. Thomas Chief Minister for Foreign Affairs This Person is employ'd in all Negotiations abroad and that by reason of his Experience formerly acquir'd by defending his Matter against the Princes of Italy his Neighbours He is very proper to improve his Duke's Interests and also Sincere and Honest as far as the Italian Politicks will give him leave except that he often promises but seldom keeps his Word To all these choice Ministers of his Royal Highness's Cabinet we must yet add Two more exceedingly considerable and who are as it were the Soul that informs the whole Body These are her Royal Highness the Dutchess and the Marquess of Bagnasque General of the Duke's Forces Every body knows the Dutchess to be Daughter to the Duke of Orleans Brother of the French King and therefore her Inclinations must reasonably be suppos'd to correspond with her Birth This is to speak all in a word so that I have reckon'd up more than sufficient to form a good Council Women have naturally the Gift of Pleasing and Perswading they are generally subtle and dissembling Wherefore in this Assembly we may ascribe to her Royal Highness all the Qualities of Medusa's Head which were to render motionless or metamorphose into Monsters such as oppos'd the Deliberations in favour of France To this Stateswoman we must moreover associate the Dutchess Dowager his Royal Highness's Mother who has never yet approv'd her self so truly French as upon this Occasion However perhaps rich Presents and dazling Louidors have blinded her and caus'd her to alter her Opinion with her Condition But be the Occasion what it will 't is certain she had nosmall share in inclining the Balance tho' whether to her own Advantage or not may come hereafter to be question'd France could never have fail'd to succeed since it so prudently made use of Women's Wit which generally bears the Bell against all Opposers Two such Female Presidents were not enough for this Council a third of the other Sex must be added to 'em a Man who was bold and of Authority sufficient to put their Resolves in execution For this Work none was thought so proper as the Marquess of Bagnasque to whose Honour it may be said that he acquitted himself like a brave Captain and consequently deserved both Praises and Applauses of all the Court Nevertheless none stuck so close to him as the the Protestants and English Troops tho' at the same time he exposed 'em by his secret Intelligences with Mareschal Catinat to a more bloody and cruel Massacre than that of St. Bartholomew Time that clears all things will discover the rest and I shall reserve a farther Illustration of it to the Sequel of this Work For the present I will only add that this Marquess is very considerable at the Court of Turin on account of his great Employments which have acquir'd him an Authority that makes him look'd upon as the sole Arbiter both of the Good and Ill there practised He is his Royal Highnesses chief Favourite General of his Armies a Knight Great Master of the Ordnance and heretofore Governour of Montmellian now of Coni. Moreover he has had the Fortune to have all his Orders well executed by his Lieutenant-Generals the Marquesses of Casaly Pianese Tane and Parella all who have been faithful Abettors in favour of the French Court and receiv'd Pensions and Bribes accordingly Thus his Royal Highness must needs have been well serv'd by Ministers that have made it their chief Aim to advance the Interest and Glory of France After having thus given a small Sketch of his Royal Highness's chief Favourites it would not be amiss to say something of his several Ministers that have been sent to the most Serene Allies throughout the whole Course of this War which to perform accurately I shall content my self only with affirming that the President de la Tour Envoy to his Britannick Majesty as also to the States General and likewise the Count of Turin Envoy to his Electoral Highness of Bavaria are both Jesuits as well as the other Misters employ'd to the rest of the Confederates But here we must except Monsieur Perier Resident at the Emperour's Court who is indeed the Son of a Banker He has purchas'd a great many fair Possessions in Transylvania and France has supply'd him with 400000 Pistoles for that purpose But you may very well imagine she did not do it for nothing he no doubt was serviceable to her in his turn
third Sons till the Emperour Charles the Bald presented Bozon Count of Arles with the ancient Kingdom of Burgundy to which he joyn'd Savoy to be holden for ever by by Fealty and Homage from the Emperour of Germany The Kingom of Arles was of no long Duration and had but four or five Kings the last of which named Rodolphus being dead without Issue Humbert of Morienne who then was Governour of Savoy was vested with it by the Emperour Conradus the Salick He was succeeded by Amedeus his Son from whom is deriv'd the present Family of Savoy which is the more illustrious and ancient because Humbert was descended from the Dukes of Saxony However the Crown of France maintains now-a-days that the vesting of those Dominions had no legal Foundation First because the Empire ought to return hereditarily to the House of France after the Decease of Charles the Burley the last Emperour of the Carlovingian Race upon whom Conradus the Salick had usurp'd it Besides this France produces another Title to Savoy which is that it was annex'd to it a long time before the Erection of the Empire and therefore ought now to be accounted a part of its Demesnes To all these Claims to Savoy France adds still a new one which is deriv'd from Louise of Savoy Mother to Francis I. King of France and Daughter to Philip VII Duke of Savoy who at his Marriage with Margaret of Bourbon had stipulated that their Children should succeed one another in the Dutchy and all its Dependencies Philip had two Children by Margaret viz. Philibert and Louise Philibert being dead Louise his Sister claim'd the Succession but because there was still two Male-Children by a second Marriage viz. Charles and the Duke of Nemours who by the Prerogative of their Sex set up their Title to the Dutchy Louise was postpon'd and Charles made himself Master of Savoy with the Consent of the States of the Country After all these several intestine Quarrels Savoy was again disturbed by the War Francis I. made in Italy This Prince having entred that Dutchy with a formidable Army reduc'd it to his Obedience in a very little time The Conquest of the Principality of Piedmont and County of Nice soon follow'd that of Savoy all which cost Francis I. but one Campagn By this means Charles was entirely dispossess'd of his Dominions and had not one Foot of Ground left him Francis I. and Henry II. his Successor were Masters of them for about twenty four Years that is till the Peace of Chateau in Cambresis was concluded in 1559 whereby King Henry yielded to Spain above 400 Towns and 198 Garison'd Fortresses among which were compris'd all those of Savoy and Piedmont except Turin Viniers Villeneuve Ast Chevas and Pignerol which Charles IX and Henry III. at last restored to the Duke However as it is most certain that the French King never stints his Pretensions nor regards the Treaties made by his Predecessors he will be sure to revive in due time the Title he has to Savoy which is like to be as soon as a general Peace is concluded So that the present Duke of Savoy may be said to be like those that are born to be unhappy For he never moves a Step to favour the Designs of France but he draws towards the Brink of a Precipice Several Reasons engage the French King to set up anew his Title to Savoy as soon as a general Peace is concluded First or all the new Right he gets by the Marriage of the young Dutchess of Savoy the Duke's eldest Daughter with the Duke of Burgundy because in case the Issue Male fail that Princess becomes presumptive Heir of all the Dominions of Victor Amedeus II. her Father And 't is certain the Court of France did much depend upon that although its Ministers have endeavour'd to give another Turn to the Eagerness the French King has shew'd in courting the Duke 'T is a Truth acknowledg'd by all Politicians that the chief way the French King has us'd to enlarge his Dominions has always been by Marriages since he seldom or never concluded a Treaty of Peace but he had a Prince or a Princess of the Blood to bestow upon his Enemies in order to make them subservient to his Designs But as soon as the Deferences and Respects usually paid to new-married People are over France always speaks to another Tune and will have her own at any rate So that the Duke of Savoy may take his Measures accordingly And I will be a false Prophet if the Match he has lately concluded with the Duke of Burgundy do not prove fatal to his Liberty and the Tranquillity of his Dominions The second Reason that will induce the French King to pick a Quarrel with the Duke of Savoy is that he never forgives Injuries that are offer'd him and if he seems now to court and flatter him 't is only to draw him the better to the Trap he lays for him 'T is certain the French King will never pardon his declaring himself against him and taking up Arms to favour the Designs of his Enemies And the first Business of this Monarch's Revenge will be to enslave him All the Submissions his Royal Highness will then use such as to go to France in Person as did the Doge of Genoa some Years ago to express his Sorrow for embracing the Confederacy all these respectful Steps I say will serve but to encrease the Contempt France has for a Prince that can do her no Hurt The third Motive that will engage France not to have any regard for the Duke of Savoy after the Conclusion of a general Peace is the great Passion she ever had to have no other Boundaries than the Alps on the Side of Italy Therefore we ought to look upon the Restitution of the important Place and Fortress of Pignerol as a fallacious Chimera and a Decoy of the French King 's to bring the Duke of Savoy to a Negotiation of Peace well knowing that this Prince being once disarm'd and depriv'd of all the Supplies of the Confederates it will bean easie matter to make him submit to what Terms he pleases So that his Highness's Safety did entirely depend upon the Support of the Confederate Princes Having briefly related the several Claims of the French King to Savoy and the several Motives which will infallibly induce him to revive them as soon as he is rid of all his Enemies we shall now speak to the Wrong his Royal Highness has done the Allies after they have been so kind to him as to share with him the Honour of bringing to reasonable Terms a Monarch who from the beginning of his Reign has meditated the Slavery of all Europe But what makes the Duke of Savoy's Conduct the more inexcusable is that by undoing himself he had a mind to involve all the Confederates in the same Ruin and blast as it were in one Moment ail the Fruits that were to be gathered from nine Campaigns which
bring that Prince to a separate Peace And indeed it is much for a Prince of his Degree to have his Daughter married to the Duke of Burgundy the first Son of France and presumptive Heir to the Crown not to mention the Heroical Virtues that shine in that young Prince to the Admiration of all the Court. According to the general Course of human Life this young Duke is like to sit one Day on the Throne Nay perhaps the Crown is reserv'd for him preferable to the Dolphin his Father and therefore his Highness may reasonably flatter himself to see his Daughter Queen of France And here we must acknowledge the French King's Council to be compos'd of most wise and judicious Politicians and admire how fortunate that Monarch is in all his Undertakings and how skilful and subtle his Ministers are in bringing about their Negotiations The Restitution of the Places taken from the Duke of Savoy was too little to engage that Prince And on the other hand the French King could not without his Assistance make a Breach to the Union of the Confederate Princes and thereby compass his Aim which is a general Peace Now what could they have offer'd him that looks more glorious more fair and more alluring than this Match Nothing in the World Several Millions of Money and the other Advantages the French King proposed to the Duke had been ineffectual and nothing less than this Alliance was ever able to induce him to sacrifice the solemn Engagements he had with the most serene Allies France was ever happy in her Alliances and 't is to the Matches of the Princes and Princesses of the Blood into the House of Austria and some other Princely Families of Europe that she owes that supreme Degree of Grandeur and Power at which we see her arriv'd in our Days And on the contrary 't is by those Matches that Spain is now in a declining Condition This being first laid as a Principle there 's no question but that the same Considerations have prevail'd with the French King to propose a Marriage between the Duke of Burgundy and his Highness's Daughter For over and above the private Advantages he hopes to get by it towards a general Peace he has still further Designs unknown to the Court of Turin which are undoubtedly to lay the Foundations of several new Pretensions and Claims to the Dominions of his Royal Highness which will be set up in due season in case the Duke should die without Issue Male. It is his Highness's Ministers Part to frame their Measures accordingly and if they be at present French by Inclination they may very well be so one Day by Duty 'T is to no purpose to alledge that the Court of Turin has obviated that Inconvenience by causing the Duke of Burgundy to renounce the Succession to the Duke of Savoy's Dominions in case of no Issue Male. The Experience of what pass'd betwixt the French King and the late King of Spain on the Account of the Marriage of Maria Theresa does fully evince by the Quarrels that have kindled the present War how little one may depend upon such Renunciations The Kings of France seldom keep their Word after the Ratification of a Treaty since we see the present French King has broke all the Oaths he made at his Marriage 'T is upon that score that all the Princes of Europe have at this time undertook a War to protect the Crown of Spain in her lawful Rights against the Attempts Usurpations and double Dealing of the French King and does not the Duke of Savoy expose himself by this Match to the same Quarrels and the Danger of losing his Dominions What could Spain do in the weak Condition she is now in without the Support of the Confederate Princes Had she not been stript by this time of the best part of her Dominions And when France shall attack the Duke of Savoy upon the same Account will that Prince be able to resist him with his own Forces Must he not then call the most serene Allies to his Assistance whose Interest he now basely forsakes in contempt of that Alliance he had so earnestly courted I am perswaded that if the Court of Turin had duly consider'd the sad Consequences that may attend the Marriage of the young Princess of Savoy his Royal Highness would not have been in such haste to consent to it since in all probability this Match will cost him dear and be fatal to his Liberty and the Repose of his Subjects But rather he would have made it his Business to entertain the friendly Engagements he was in with the Allies upon Consideration of their powerful Protection upon which he might have depended for present and future Advantages In fine the French King to make this Alliance look the more glorious and glittering to the Court of Turin order'd the Honours due to a Dutchess of Burgundy to be paid to the Princess of Savoy at her Arrival at the Court of France Yet before he went so far he caus'd the Book of the Ceremonies of the Crown to be turn'd over And as it was found that the Daughter of Maximilian the Emperour had the Honours of Dolphiness paid her in France under the Reign of Lewis XI tho' she never had been such because the ceremonial Book says in explicit Terms that those Honours were not paid to her as Daughter to the Emperour but as Dolphiness design'd And so the Case being the same the French King resolv'd to look upon the Princess of Savoy as his Grand-daughter and order'd that at her Arrival at the Bridge of Beauvoisin she should be receiv'd as such and that none but the Dutchess of Lude should have the Privilege of sitting before her We see by all this what mighty care the French King has taken to have this Marriage lik'd at the Court of Turin The Princess of Savoy is far from being handsome But the Duke of Burgundy is an accomplish'd Prince Assoon as the March was agreed upon they presented that Princess's Picture to the Duke asking him how he did like her She 's handsome enough to give a Peace to Italy return'd agreeably that young Prince The French King and all the Court did extremely commend this witty and judicious Repartee which by the by was a tart Jest upon all the Artifices which France has us'd to draw off the Duke of Savoy from the Confederacy and engage him to make a separate Peace 'T would be an endless Work nicely to examine the secret Springs which the French Council have set a going at the Courts of Rome and of all the other Princes of Italy to bring this Negotiation about There are no Tricks no Fetches that they have not employ'd not to mention the vast Summs they have given to corrupt his Royal Highness's Favourite Ministers who by their shameful Avarice have at last prevailed with him to consent to an Alliance that will make him a Slave for ever and cost him the infallible Loss
of his Dominions It is provided by the sixth Article that in case the Allies do not agree to a Neutrality in Italy the French King and the Duke of Savoy will joyn their Forces together in order to conquer the Milanese And this on the Duke's part is the highest Degree of Treachery imaginable If that Prince had only been contented to forsake the Interest of the most serene Allies and to receive under-hand those Summs of Money that France has remitted to him he might now in some measure excuse himself by publishing to the World that he could not refuse the Advantageous Offers made to him without betraying his own Interest and opposing his good Fortune But his Royal Highness does not confine himself within those Bounds For with one Hand he receives Money of the Confederates and with the other of France and moreover plots and contrives with the common Enemy the Ruin of his best Friends and Allies and makes his Market of their Liberty and his own He puts himself at the Head of the French Forces and in the same Campagn is General of two powerful contrary Armies Was there ever so singular and at the same time so perfidious a Conduct as this is But what can engage this Prince in this foul Play That Question is answer'd in this Article the Hopes of conquering the Milanese The French King tells him by his Ministers what Title he has to that Dutchy which he looks upon as a Dependency from the Crown of France upon the Account of the Marriage of Lowis of Orleans Son to Charles V King of France with Valentina Galeas Daughter to John Galeas Duke of Milan who claim'd the Succession to that Dutchy by the Decease of her two Brothers who left no Issue By this Artifice the French King has cunningly insinuated himself into the Court of Turin and while he entertains the Duke of Savoy with the Chimerical Hopes of conquering the Dutchy of Milan he makes him a Property to his Designs which are the Neutrality in Italy By that means the French King frees himself from a most burdensome and expensive War which perplex'd him more than all the Armies he keeps in Flanders and on the Rhine and gives besides a fatal Blow to the Union of the Confederate Princes This Event on one side raises the Honour and Hopes of the French King and on the other makes the Duke of Savoy's Conduct for ever odious to the Allies There 's no Question but the Ministers of France did give his Royal Highness to understand that the Milanese would infallibly fall a Prey to him because said they there was little Probability of the Allies ever consenting to a Neutrality and by this Decoy they have drawn in this credulous Prince while the Court of France was very well persuaded that the Affairs would turn a contrary way To put still the Change upon him and delude him the better the French King promises him by the seventh Article that after the Reduction of that Dutchy it shall be put into his Highness's Hands by him to be enjoy'd for ever without demanding any thing for the Expences of this Expedition and his most Christian Majesty engages himself besides to protect him in the peaceful Enjoyment of iâ— against the Arms of the House of Austria When a Man seriously reflects upon all the sine Promises of the French King to engage his Royal Highness he will not be much surpriz'd at the small Precaution the Council of Turin have us'd in so important an Affair To hear the French Ministers speak 't was but entring the Milanese to make an entire Conquest of it They reckon upon it as a thing already done and to dazzle his Royal Highness they â—â—â—tter him with their Protection against the House of Austria they promise to secure him in the Enjoyment of it for ever and over and above all this their Generosity goes so far as to be at all the Changes of this Expedition of which the French King makes a Present to his Royal Highness The French King was ever liberal of fallacious Promises He might as well have promis'd to the Duke of Savoy the Conquest of all Italy as he has done that of the Milanese If his Royal Highness be so credulous as to depend upon his Word he 'll soon be Master of all the Princes beyond the Alps. But time will make it appear that nothing can be more Chimerical than those Projects This as well as the preceding Articles have been kept very secret by the Council of France because they have been look'd upon as the chief Springs to engage the Duke of of Savoy by the Hopes of becoming the greatest Prince of Italy Ambition and a Desire of enlarging ones Power was ever a natural Passion in all Sovereigns and I doubt not but France has done more at the Court of Turin by this Artifice than by all the other Stratagems he has there employ'd Let 's come to the VIIIth Article The most Christian King renounces for ever all the Rights and Pretensions he and his Predecessors had to the Dukedom of Savoy the Principality of Piedmont and County of Nice One can so little depend upon such sort of Renunciations that the Experience of this Age has taught all the Princes of Europe that the French King observes Treaties no longer than they serve his Interest For if after the Ratification is sign'd his Conncil do but suggest to him a new way of extending his Power and Dominions nothing is able to stop him He then only consults his Favourite-Policy and knows no other Rule besides his Ambition to which there 's no prescribing of just Bounds because he is still too powerful The stronger docs ever give Laws to the weaker And since the French King is not yet redue'd by the united Forces of the most powerful Princes in Europe we must necessarily conclude that he has not yet chung'd his Maxims In the Year 1640 there was a Book printed at Madrid and writ by a Spanish Plenipotentiary entituled Successos principales de la Monarchia de l' Espania el Anno 1639. wherein the Author by a kind of Prophetical Spirit said that the French King took the way to arrive at the Empire That his Predecessors had shew'd it him by the taking of Mets Toul and Verdun That Lewis XIII had follow'd them by making himself Master of Alsatia and Lorrain That if Lewis XIV could but take Thionville he would seize upon Luxemberg compleat the Conquest of the Dutchy of Burgundy lay the Palatinate open and without Defence and would make himself absolute in all the Country of Treves and all the ancient Austrasia His Prophecy went still further He added that by the Conquest of Thionville that Monarch would make the three Catholick Electors his Subjects That Spain would lose Flanders the Empire and Cities of Germany their Liberty and the German Princes their Dominions This Prophecy had certainly been accomplish'd had the Confederate Princes any longer delay'd to