the reputation and strength of the whole Confederacy that the same appear'd terrible in the Eyes of all the World except to our King who was so far from being terrify'd by this unhappy conjuncture that by his indefatigable care and activity he surmounted all these difficulties which afterwards serv'd only as an Augmentation of his Glory He receiv'd the King of England with all the imaginable testimonies of generosity and demonstrations of honour and respect alloting both to the King and the Queen his Spouse a sufficient allowance to keep a most magnificent Court and shewing a great readiness upon all occasions to satisfie them in any thing they could desire and to find out means to afford tâ—em seasonable comfort in their affliction A great part of the Kingdom of Ireland remaining as yet stedfast in the Interest of their King our King without any delay French Forces sent into Ireland sent thither a good number of Troops in the Year 1689 with a sufficient quantity of Arms Ammunition and other necessaries The King of England having put himself at the head of these Troops in conjunction with the Irish Forces that had taken up Arms for him he advanc'd against the Enemy with indifferent success there happening nothing of moment all that Campaign as there was no great action in other parts the Prince of Orange King William III. judging it more for his advantage at that time to establish himself in England by his Presence and our King having taken a resolution to be upon the defensive this Campaign the better to enable himself to send more powerful Supplies into Ireland and to try whether perhaps by some means or other the Confederacy would not dissolve it self against the next Campaign It is easie to be imagin'd that among Princes of so many different Inclinations and Interests the War is generally not carry'd on with the same Vigour as it is undertaken there being frequent Examples that the strictest Alliances have been broken with as much ease as they were made For near the Alps there scarce appear'd any Armies in the Field The Duke of Noailles took Campredon in Catalonia which was demolish'd quickly after The Armies in Flanders did nothing but look upon one another there having been scarce any Action there abouts all that Summer but the Assault made upon Wall-Court This being a place of small defence the Marshal d'Humiers thought to have carri'd it by Storm without making a Breach but the Euemies who were retir'd before the Marshal having posted themselves upon some eminencies behind the Town so as to keep a communication with one of the Gates they sent from time to time as many fresh Forces as were requisite to defend the Place so that the Marshal was repuls'd with the loss of five hundred Men killed and wounded among whom were thirty or forty Officers and many brave Volunteers who paid with their lives for the mistake of the Marshal who had been misguided by his Spies The Allies Forces near the Rhine consisted of threescore and ten thousand Men divided into three several Bodies under the Command of Prince Charles of Lorrain and the Electors of Bavaria Saxony and Brandenburgh To prevent the Enemies taking up Winter-Quarters too near our Frontiers we were oblig'd to ravage all the Country of Wirtemberg and the whole Palatinate and to lay all desolate as far as Strasburgh The Cities of Spires and Worms were laid in ashes and all the other Places thereabouts of which we had taken possession the Year before were demolish'd except Mayence Bonn Philipsburgh and Keyserwaerth the last of which being a small Town of little strength upon the Rhine was by Frederic II. Elector of Brandenburgh Son to the Famous Frederic William who died in May in the Year 1688 taken in four or five Days The City of Mayence was Besieg'd by the Imperialists Siege of Mayence under the Command of Prince Charles of Lorrain the Electors of Bavaria and Saxony who joyn'd their Forces with the others This Place was the Year before when the Elector of the same name receiv'd a French Garrison into the Town so inconsiderable in its Fortifications that tho' a great number of Workmen were employ'd all the Winter long to put them in a state of defence they could scarce bring the Out-works to perfection It s chiefest strength at that time consisted in a good Garrison of nine or ten thousand Men all resolute brave fellows who unanimously resolv'd to hold it out to the last extremity If it was Attack'd with all imaginable Vigour there has not been a Place in the memory of Men defended with more bravery In forty eight days after opening of the Trenches the Besiegers had only made one Lodgment upon the utmost point of the Counterscarp The Besieg'd made frequent Sallies at Noon-day with their Colours flying and Drums beating sometimes three or four times in one Day within two hours of one another They marched out sometimes with a Body of two or three thousand Men in order of Battel engag'd the Enemy cut in pieces those that guarded the Trenches nail'd up their Cannons fill'd up their Works and once drove the Enemies back at such a distance from the Place that their main Horse-guard took Post at the very Head of their Trenches The Confederates having often felt the effects of the desperate resolution of the Besieg'd resolv'd to Attack and carry the Counterscarp let it cost what it would Pursuant to this resolution all their Batteries play'd most furiously by break of Day and thus continu'd till by the throwing of certain Bombs the Signal was given for the Assault In a few moments you might have seen the Ground cover'd with dead Carcasses the Cannon of the Besieg'd their Hand-Grenadoes and Bombs their Fire-Arms but especially their Swords made such havock among the Enemy as is rather to be conceiv'd than to be express'd The Assault lasted five Hours when the Besieg'dbeing at last over-power'd by the great number of their Enemies who without intermission seconded their Men with fresh Troops were forc'd to give way and to leave them Masters of the Counterscarp but with the loss of four thousand Men on the Confederate side The Besieg'd having besides this lost during the Assault all their Ammunition by a Bomb which blew up their Magazin they offer'd to try the next Day to regain the Counterscarp with their Swords in Hand but the Marquis d'Uxelles their Governor being unwilling to Sacrifice so many brave Fellows in the attempt beat a Parley and the Allies being not backward in granting him very Honourable Conditions the Garrison march'd out of the Place with their Colours flying and six pieces of Cannon Whilst they were busied in the Siege of Mayence the Elector of Brandenburgh Siege of Bonn. who commanded a separate Body Invested Bonn. The Place was batter'd for two Months together with an Artillery of an hundred pieces of Cannon and most of their Houses and some of their Out-Works were laid
Bishops of that Assembly p. 187 Is made Arbitrator by the King of the Succession in the Palatinate p. 195 Abolishes the Franchises of Quarters p. 190 Gives his Dispensation to Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 201 Interview of the French and Spanish Court p. 18 Invalides the Royal Hospital built near Paris p. 169 Ipres taken by the King p. 156 Ireland the King sends Succours into that Kingdom p. 214 L'Isle besieged by and surrendred to the King p. 66 K. Kayserswert taken by the Elector of Brandenburgh p. 215 Knock Fort the Allies lose above two thousand Men before it p. 269 L. Ladeburgh the Imperialists defeated by Tuâ—rene near this Place p. 124 Lagos about eighty Vessels were taken and burnt betwixt this place and Cadiz p. 245 246 Lavardin Marquiss of French Ambassadour at Rome p. 197 The Pope refuses him Audience p. 198 League against France betwixt the Emperour Spain and Denmark Holland and all the Princes of Germany except the Dukes of Bavaria and Hannover p. 107 111 League betwixt England and Holland against France p. 153 League of Ausburgh p. 193 League betwixt the Empire Spain England Holland and Savoy against France p. 207 p. 209 Leopold Ignatius Emperour of Germany desires Succours from the King p. 57 Enters in a League against France p. 107 Makes Peace with France p. 165 Makes a Truce with the King p. 177 Enters in another Alliance against him p. 193 Declares for the Election of Prince Clement of Bavaria p. 200 Makes Peace with France p. 308 Leuze Engagement near Leuze 229 Lewis XIII seises Lorrain p. 80 His War with the Hugonots p. 188 Lewis XIV sirnamed the Great his Birth p. 1 Troubles under his Minority p. 2 Is present at the Battle of St. Anthony p. 5 Falls dangerously ill at Calais p. 13 Marries the Infanta of Portugal p. 17 Enters Paris in Triumph p. 20 Lewis the Great his Divertisements p. 25 Obliges Spain to allow him the Precedency p. 37 Receives Satisfaction for the Affront put upon his Ambassadour at the Court of Rome p. 45 Causes a new Codex or Lambock to be compiled p. 52 Restores the decayed Commerce p. 56 Sends Succours to the Emperour p. 57 And to the Dutch p. 58 Lewis the Great besieges and takes Listle p. 66 Conquers the French Comte in eight days p. 68 Suppresles Jansinism p. 69 Builds Versailles p. 77 And takes Possession of Lorrain p. 81 LEWIS the Great declares War against Holland p. 85 His first Conquests p. 87 seq New Conquests p. 92 Draws the King of England from his Alliance with the Dutch p. 95 Besieges and takes Mastrick p. 103 seq Besieges and takes Besanson p. 114 Makes himself Master of the whole French Comte in one Months time p. 117 LEWIS the Great takes Conde p. 134 Sends Succours to Messina p. 136 Takes Valenciennes p. 142 The Town and Cittadel of Cambray p. 148 Ghent p. 156 Ipres p. ibid. Restores Peace to Europe p. 162 Erects the Academies for the Cadees p. 168 Builds the Hospital of the Invalides p. 169 Founds the Community of St. Cyr. p. ib. LEWIS the Great Chastises the Corsairs of Barbary p. 171 172 Genoeses p. ibid. Summons all his Vassals in Alsace to do him Homage p. 174 Goes to Strasburgh to receive in Person the Oath of Fidelity p. 175 Makes a Truce with the Emperour for twenty years p. 177 LEWIS the Great obliges the King of Spain to resign the Title of Duke of Burgundy p. 177 Causes Luxenburgh to be block'd up p. 178 Covers the Siege of Luxenburgh p. 179 Makes a Truce with Spain for twenty Years p. 180 Differences betwixt him and the Court of Rome p. ibid. He suppresses Calvinism in France p. 187 The whole Kingdom makes Vows for his Recovery p. 192 The Motives that obliged him to have recourse to Arms. p. 202 Takes Philipsburgh and the whole Palatinate p. 203 204 LEWIS the Great receives the King and Queen of England with an unparallell'd Generosity p. 213 Sends Succours into Ireland p. ib. Besieges and takes Mons. p. 228 The City and Cittadel of Namur p. 233 Being troubled with the Gout is carried in a Chair to all Places where his Presence was most necessary p. 236 The Prince of Conty Elected King of Poland by his Encouragement and Protection p. 299 Restores Peace to Europe p. 307 Limburgh taken by Henry Julius Prince of Conde p. 128 Limerick in Ireland bravely defended by the French p. 225 The English obliged to raise the Siege ibid. Limits see Differences Lines what they are p. 249 New Lines drawn from the Shelde to the Lis and from Courtray to the Sea-side p. 268 Longueville Duke of kill'd p. 98 Longe Alphonse de Durasford Duke de Lorges Marshal of France makes good his Retreat against the Imperialists after the Death of Turenne p. 132 Takes Heidelbergh p. 246 Louvois see Tellier Luxenburgh block'd up p. 178 Besieged p. 179 Taken p. ib. Luxenburgh Francis Henry de Montmorancy Duke de Pency Luxenburgh Peer and Marshal of France takes Groll Deventer and all the Places in the Province of Over-Yssle p. 93 Obliges the Prince of Orange to raise the Siege of Voerden p. 97 Repulses the Dutch at St. Denis p. 163 Beats the Allies at Flerus p. 219 Leuze p. 229 Steenkirk p. 239 At Neerwinden p. 248 His Death p. 270 M. Machin or Engine made use of by the English against St. Malo p. 252 Maine Lewis Augustus Duke de Maine Commands the French Cavalry at the Battle of Steenkirk p. 239 Signalizes himself at Neerwinden p. 248 St. Malo see Bombardment Manheim a strong Place in the Palatinate p. 204 Marcin Count de Marcin General of the Spanish Forces marches to the Relief of L' Isle p. 66 Is Routed p. ibid. Mardick a Fort. p. 13 Maria Theresia Queen of France see Austria Maria Adelhida Dutches of Burgundy see Savoy Marsal granted to the King p. 80 Mastrick besieged by the King p. 103 Taken p. 106 Besieged by the Prince of Orange p. 135 Mayence besieged p. 215 Taken p. 217 Mazarine Julius Cardinal Premier Minister under the Regency of the Queen Mother p. 2 His Conference with Don Lewis de Haro p. 18 His Death p. 22 Mehaigne a small River near Namur p. 235 Messina shakes off the Spanish Yoke p. 136 Metz Chamber of Re-union established at Metz. p. 174 Mirc-Court the ordinary Place of Residence of Charles IV. Duke of Lorrain p. 81 Missionaries preach among the Calvinists p. 189 Mons besieged and taken by the King p. 228 Montausier Charles Duke of Peer of France Governour to Lewis Dauphine p. 170 Montmelian taken p. 231 Montecuculi Count of his Character p. 129 Munster Bernhard-van Galen Bishop of invades Holland p. 58 Joyns his Troops with the French in the Dutch War p. 93 Declares against France p. 111 N. Namur besieged by the King and taken p. 233. Besieged by the Allies p. 271 Nancy fortified by the King p. 107 Naerden a small Place in Holland
which the Allies propos'd to make upon France and to make a better Figure in Europe than he had done hitherto all these fair pretensions I say were motives strong enough to induce that Duke to refuse all the King's offers of a Neutrality The Duke of Savoy enters into the Confederacy and to joyn with the Confederates against us The War in Piedmont is always extreamly chargeable to France all the Cannon Ammunition and Provisions must be carried upon Mules thro' impassable Roads and out Troops could not but suffer great inconveniencies in passing and re-passing these inaccessible Mountains so that nothing could be more advantageously contriv'd for the Interest of the Confederates than to oblige our King to carry on a War on that side where besides all the before-mention'd inconveniencies our Frontiers lay expos'd to our Enemies it having been always the Interest of Savoy to keep a good correspondence with France and the strict Alliances betwixt these two Courts the King's reputation and strength having been look'd upon as a sufficient safe-guard and Bullwark for the security of our Frontiers in those parts It was upon this account that the Allies flatter'd themselves with the hopes of making a powerful irruption upon us and to penetrate into the very heart of the Kingdom on this side where it was least defensible but tho' they promis'd themselves no small advantages from this diversion the main foundation of their hopes was laid on the expected change of affairs in England which prov'd to their satisfaction at a time when it was not so much as dream'd of by us There seems to be a great sympathy betwixt the Climate and the humour of the English Nation the Government being subject to as many Revolutions as the weather is changeable in that Island which tho' very frequent here yet are nothing the less surprising in their events The great diversity of Religions which has been introduc'd since the time of their separation from the ancient Church is an inexhaustible scource of the many intestine troubles and divisions which at several times have brought this Monarchy to the very brink of ruin James II. when Duke of York Revolution in England 1688. was upon the point of having been excluded from the succession of the Crown by one of the Houses of Parliament notwithstanding which he mounted the Throne after the Death of his Brother with the general Acclamation of the People at a time when he made publick profession of the Roman Religion This Noble confidence of not dissembling his Religion stood him in no small stead with the English who look'd upon this his greatness of mind as a pledge of their future safety and that his Word would at all times stand inviolable to protect their Laws and Liberties But it was not long before they chang'd their sentiments the whole Nation being alarm'd at the Zeal they observ'd in him of advancing the Roman Catholicks which was improv'd to the King's disadvantage by a contrary Faction who nois'd it about in the ears of the People that his main design was to overturn their Laws and to establish upon their ruins an Arbitrary power The whole Kingdom being put into confusion and fears they began to enter into an Association headed by the Chief Men among the Commons and most of the Nobility who under hand treated with Holland and obtain'd powerful succours with so much secresy that there was not the least thing discover'd of it till a few Months before the arrival of the Prince of Orange at the head of an Army in England The train was so well laid and the whole matter so well tim'd that when the Prince of Orange landed in Torbay with twenty thousand Men both the Nobility and Gentry flock'd to him in great numbers all the Cities open'd their Gates both the Fleet and Army declar'd for him and abandon'd their King's Interest that to save his Life or at least to preserve his Liberty he was oblig'd to fly and seek for refuge in France A most notable instance of the instability of all human greatness If this Prince had accepted of our King's offers Things would in all probability never have been brought to that extremity for no sooner had his most Christian Majesty been advertis'd of what was in agitation in Holland but he sent word to the King of England that he would either send a French Army to his assistance or else by giving a powerful diversion to the Dutch prevent their design against him But the King of England who flatter'd himself with these hopes that the Prince of Orange being his Nephew and Son-in-Law would scarce be prevail'd upon to head a Faction against him and that if he should have any such intention his Fleet and Army were a sufficient guard to him against any attempts of the Dutch was not till it was too late convinc'd of his mistake For no sooner had the Prince of Orange set Foot upon the English shoar but he found the whole Nation ready to receive him and every thing was thus dispos'd that after the departure of the King of England the English Nation shew'd more forwardness in advancing him to the Throne than he did in all outward appearances in accepting of it For at the first meeting of the States of the Kingdom the Throne of England being declar'd vacant the Prince of Orange was Proclaim'd Crown'd K. Will. III. acknowledg'd King of England and acknowledg'd as Lawful King of England not only by the English Nation and all the Protestant Princes but also by the Emperor Spain by the Electors of Germany an all the other Catholick Princes in general that were enter'd into the Confederacy It having been always look'd upon as a thing past all dispute among the Confederates that the power of England if joyn'd with the Confederacy would over-balance or at least equalize that of France they now believ'd themselves to be arriv'd at the highest pitch of their prosperity for which reason they boasted in all places that France would fcarce be able to hold out two or three Campaigns after the Prince of Orange King William III. should have joyn'd the Forces of three Kingdoms with the Confederate Armies There were some who were foolish enough to imagine and to represent the Kingdom of France as reduc'd to the very brink of destruction block'd up both by Sea and Land scarce able to withstand five or six Armies that were to attack it on all sides at a time but these unexperienc'd Politicians were soon after convinc'd that they had triumph'd before the Victory was obtain'd These vast preparations made by the Allies against France rather serv'd to augment than diminish the Glory of our King who in nine Years time gain'd several Battels and took many of their best Towns some of which they have been forc'd to re-gain with incredible charges and greatloss of their best Men. However Campain in 1689. the Revolution in England was so considerable an addition to
Hollanders fighting like Lions we took one of their Ships of sixty Guns another was sunk and a third burnt besides there were twelve more of their best Ships so much disabled in their Masts and Riggings that not being able to carry them off they were forc'd to sink and to burn them The Count de Tourville pursu'd them for two days after and would in all probability have destroy'd their whole Fleet if the Wind had not turn'd against him which gave the Enemy opportunity to bring the rest of their Ships into a place of security This disgrace put the Enemies into no small consternation forasmuch as they had flatter'd themselves that they were much superiour to us at Sea and that no body hitherto had been bold enough to dispute with them the Sovereignty of the Sea The Prince of Orange King Willian III. laying the cause of this disaster to the mismanagement of the English Admiral he was tryed and acquitted of what was laid to his charge But whilst the English and Dutch made heavy complaints on both sides laying the loss of the Battle at one anothers Doors the French obtain'd another signal Victory about five Weeks after being the eighteenth Day of August For the Spanish Auxiliaries Defeat of the Duke of Savoy with a good Body of Imperial Troops having joyn'd the Duke of Savoy he took the Field and after several marches and counter-marches encamped boldly within sight of the French Army being cover'd on the Right by a large Wood on the Left by boggy Grounds and having in the Front a small Rivulet Both the Armies were near equal in number that of the Allies being Commanded under the Duke of Savoy by some of their best Officers The Sieur de Catinat Commander in Chief of the French in those parts appear'd the first time in this Campaign at the Head of a great Army He was descended from a Family that ow'd its Off-spring to the Gown but by his many Services render'd himself not inferiour to any of our age that have rais'd their Families by the Sword This wise General having taken a view of and found a passage thro' the Boggs attack'd the Enemy on that side with incredible bravery that their left Wing was brought immediately into confusion the right Wing held it out for some time after but being likewise broken at last a great slaughter ensued most of their Infantry being cut to pieces and their Cavalry sav'd themselves by repassing the River Po leaving the Field and their whole Artillery except one piece of Cannon which was thrown into the River with I all their Ammunition and many Colours and Standards to the mercy of the Enemy Four thousand of them were kill'd upon the spot whereas on our side we had not above an hundred and fifty dead and four hundred wounded Men. The Conquest of Savoy which with some part of Piedmont submitted immediately after to our King was the first Fruit of this Victory For Saluzzas open'd its Gates the very next Day after the Battle The Town and Castle of Suza surrender'd soon after so that we remained Masters of the Field and all the flat Country till the time of withdrawing our Forces for the conveniency of our Winter-Quarters As we had been successful even beyond hopes near the Alps so there pass'd nothing of moment near the Rhine the Germans being very careful in avoiding an Engagement For no sooner had they receiv'd intelligence that the Dauphin had passed the Rhine but they intrench'd themselves so strongly on the other side the River Neckar that it was impossible to force them in their Post or to bring them to an Engagement Thus this Campaign would have prov'd as successful as any since the beginning of the War if the French Troops in Ireland under the Command of the King of England had met with the same success on that side For after the Prince of Orange King William III. Battle fought in Ireland near the Boyne in July had taken a resolution to pass over into that Island in Person to reduce it to his Obedience he gave Battle to the Irish within twenty Days after his arrival near the River Boyne Seven thousand French seconded by the Irish Horse who behav'd themselves very well sustain'd for some time the whole power of the Enemy but the Irish Foot being immediately brought into confusion the rest were entirely routed The loss of this battle put the whole Kingdom into such a consternation that the King of England not thinking himself secure there immediately repass'd the Seas and arriv'd safely at Brest The Marshal and Duke of Schomberg who had acquir'd immortal Glory whilst he was in our King's Service was kill'd in the Engagement His obstinate perseverance in the Calvinism had oblig'd him to quit France and to engage himself in the Service of the Prince of Orange King William III. who also receiv'd a slight hurt About five Weeks after the Battle he besieg'd Limerick The Garrison of the Town consisted of near six thousand French under the Command of Monsieur de Boisleleau Captain of our King's Guards who had after the last Engagement thrown themselves into the Place The Siege was carried on with the utmost Vigour but by the bravery of the Garrison and the help of fresh Supplies brought into the Place together with the scarcity of Forage continual Rains and sickness that had infected the Camp the Prince of Orange King William III. was oblig'd to raise the Siege After his return into England he appli'd all his care to make the necessary preparations for sending a considerable Body of his Troops into Flanders Campaign in 1691. and to appear at the Head of them in Person for fear least some of the Allies might in his absence enter upon a separate Treaty with France He was met at the Hague by the Electors of Bavaria and Brandenburgh by the Landtgraves of Hesse three Dukes of the House of Brunswick Congress at the Hague besides thirty other Princes by the Governor of the Spanish Netherlands the Emperor's Envoy those of Spain and several other Electors and of the Duke of Savoy and all the General Officers who were at this Council of War to concert measures concerning the operations of the next Campaign But whilst they spent their time in debates they receiv'd the unexpected News that the City of Mons had been invested by the French on the fifteenth of March and that the King was expected in the Camp by the twentieth or one and twentieth of the same Month. This sudden News like a Thunderclap dispers'd the whole Congress Most of the Princes there present return'd straightways into their respective Countries either because they did not think it convenient to be Spectators of the taking of the Place or to hasten their Troops to march to the relief of it The City of Mons is situate upon a rising ground surrounded with Boggs and consequently strong both by Art and Nature It is a very large
Expences bestowed in the carrying on of this Siege lost twenty Thousand Men the Flower of their whole Army The Confederates being flush'd with this Success Campaign 1666. boasted every where of this Conquest but the wiser sort among them were not much overjoyed at this Advantage as looking upon it as a means to retard the conclusion of a Peace For the People being exhausted with Taxes wished very earnestly for a Peace as the only means to free them from those heavy Impositions Their Commerce was considerably diminished our Privateers who continually infested their Coasts taking some of them every Day it having been Computed that the English alone have since the beginning of this War lost four Thousand two Hundred Merchant Men valued by themselves at thirty Millions of Sterling But there appeared in England many other Causes of Intestine Divisions and Confusion For the Money began to be very scarce and was so much Clipp'd of late Years that its intrinsick value did not amount to two thirds sometimes not to one half of what it ought to be As nothing is more pernicious and destructive to Commerce than the adulteration of Money so these Disorders made many grumble against the Government it being a customary thing for the Common People to impute any publick Disaster to the mis-management of those at the Helm which was also improved by a Party who insinuated into the People that great store of the English Coin was Transported into Holland The Agents of the King of England believing the present juncture very favourable to their Design set all their Engines at work for his Restauration They brought over many to their side some out of Novelty others being moved by a seasonable Repentance others out of Affection to their King joined in the Design of restoring him to the Throne They could scarce have wish'd for a more favourable Opportunity the Prince of Orange King William III. having left the Kingdom destitute of Troops and without a Fleet to guard the Coasts All his Troops were transported to Flanders the grand Fleet was at Cadiz and a good Squadron of his best Ships lately gone out of the Downs to join those in the Streights The King of England encourag'd by these hopes of Success came to Calais with a Body of Sixteen Thousand Men of old Troops under the Command of several experienc'd Generals who were ready to Embark at an hours warning But the Winds proving contrary for some time the whole Design was discover'd and we lost at once both the time and hopes of putting it in Execution For no sooner had the Dutch received Intelligence of this intended descent but they put to Sea with a Squadron of twelve stout Ships which cruised before Calais The Prince of Orange K. William III. without shewing the least Concern at the greatness of the Danger soon found means to disperse these Clouds He secured many suspected Persons recalled his Fleets and some of his Troops out of Flanders and secur'd the Sea-Coasts on that side which was most exposed to danger with a good Body of the Militia A Plot when once discover'd seldom takes effectâ— and in lieu of proving destructive to those against whom it was intended prroves generally the chief means of their Establishment Both the Houses of Parliament gave upon this occasion new Demonstrations of their Zeal and firm Adherence to the Interest of the Prince of Orange King William III. by entring into an Association not only to maintain his Interest against all Pretenders but also to revenge his Death if he should happen to be snatch'd away by some sinister Attempt against his Life Having received these fresh Assurances of their Zeal for his Person and Interest he took such sure measures to prevent all future Danger of this kind that without any further delay he passed over into Flanders At his Arrival in Flanders he found the King's Armies in the Field before him and in the Spanish Territories The King having taken a Resolution to be upon the defensive and sent his Orders to the Marshal de Villeroy who was to Command the French Army in the Lower Flanders to possess himself at the beginning of the Campaign of some advantageous Post from whence he might both observe the Enemies Motions and prevent their Designs and subsist in their Territories till the end of the Campaign The Army near the Meuse was Commanded by the Marshal de Bouflers who pursuant to the King's Orders had divided his Army into four several Bodies at such a convenient distance as to be able to join upon any occasion and at the same time to cover the French Conquests All the measures taken by the Confederates being broken by these seasonable Precautions they were forced to consume their own Territories all the Summer long without being able to undertake a Siege or come to an Engagement though they appear'd more formidable now than ever Their Fleet consisted of an Hundred and Thirty Sail but did no other feats but to burn a few Houses at Calais near the Sands of Cologne and at St. Martins They had three Armies in the Low-Countries one consisting of five and twenty or thirty Thousand Men under the Command of the Prince of Vaudemont in the Lower Flanders which however was not strong enough to Encounter the Marshal de Villeroy who Forraged to the very Gates of Ghent and exacted Contributions from all the circumjacent Countries Their Grand Army at least half as strong again threatned sometimes one sometimes another Place with a Siege but could not meet with a favourable opportunity to put it in Execution A third Army of eighteen or twenty Thousand Men all Germans advanced towards the side of Namur under the Command of the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassal They remain'd in that Post for about a Month when for want of Pay or opportunity of being employed in Flanders they returned towards the Rhine Neither did the Confederates act with much better Success on the German side The Prince of Baden keeping close within his Lines till the latter end of August not thinking it adviseable to meet the Marshal de Choiseul who had passed the Rhine with the French Army and stayed on this side near six Weeks After the return of the Landgrave of Hesse the Prince of Baden passed the Rhine and in Conjunction with the rest Marched towards Philipsbourgh without attempting any thing against the Place They afterwards advanced nearer the Marshal but spent the rest of their time in Cannonading one anothers Camp without coming to an Engagement The Duke of Vendosme had but a small Army in Catalonia more considerable for the goodness of his Troops than their Number Yet he remained Master of the Field all that Campaign being belov'd and esteem'd by the Inhabitants of the Country and dreaded by the Spaniards He defeated the Body of their Cavalry much Superiour in number of Squadrons to his He demolish'd many of their Castles which served them for places of Retreat He observed so closely
groaned under followed blindfold the inclinations of their Leaders Add to this the want of Courage in the Chief Minister which induced him to lay hold of that most destructive Maxim of State To prefer only such as he dreaded most This fatal concourse of different Interests and Passions proved the source of such divisions and intestine Commotions as shook the very foundation of the French Monarchy Whilst the Kingdom was involved in these Troubles the King's Education was in a manner neglected by those to who 's Tuition it was committed who made it their chiefest care to carry the young King from one Province to another to shew him to his People in hopes to restore by this last effort the decay'd and languishing Authority of the Government and by his Royal Prefence to keep them in Obedience Notwithstanding all these Obstacles Happy presages of his Youth the King began to give most evident proofs of his great and generous Inclinations for when he was scarce twelve years of Age such was his happy Genius that there appeared a discretion and reservedness in all his Actions much above what could be expected from so tender an Age shewing not the least inclination to those things which are the ordinary diversions of Children but an uncommon eagerness to be instructed in all manner of Exercises and a singular delight in hearing the relations of great and memorable Exploits These were the chief Entertainments of his Youth and it was always observed that if any thing happened to be related to him that was either above the common rate in its undertaking or surprising in its event there appear'd such a sprightliness in his Eves and whole Countenance as sufficiently testified his desire of signalizing himself by some memorable Action Is a Spectator of the Battle of St. Anthony July 2 1652. Full of this Noble Idea he waited with impatience for the time which might furnish him with an opportunity of giving real demonstrations of his great Inclinations and he was not quite 14 years of Age when knowing that his Army was ready to engage the Prince of Conde he entreated and pressed them so earnestly that to satisfie his most glorious desire they were obliged to place him on a certain Eminence where he could be a Spectator at least of a great part of the Engagement Lewis of Bourbon II Prince of Conde The Prince of Conde had for the last six years past been the Hero and chief Supporter of the Royal Party It was he that had gain'd the Battles of Rocroy Fribourg Nortlingen and Lentz And it was also the same Prince of Conde who at the beginning of the intestine commotions was so fortunate or rather dextrous as to block up the City of Paris with 7 or 8000 Men. 1649. There was something great and sublime above the rest of Mankind in this Prince He was endowed with a Courage undaunted in the midst of all Dangers His skill in Martial affairs was beyond what can be imagined or express'd On the day of Battle nothing was comparable to his Conduct either in choosing the advantage of the Ground or ordering and disposing his Troops in order of Battle or retiring and sustaining them with fresh Forces no body beyond him in pushing on an Attack with the utmost Vigour and in the heat of the Engagement to possess himself of an advantageous Post and to change the disposition of his Troops according to the various accidents and revolutions of the Battle a happy conjunction of many extraordinary Qualities if those great Souls elevated above the common Sphere were also capable of moderation His aspiring Genius nourished by evil Counsels prompted him to take up Arms against the King and having assembled a Body of Troops after several marches and counter-marches he at last posted himself near St. Cloue trusting to the nearness of the Bridge which might serve him for a safe retreat to avoid an engagement in case he should be attack'd by his Enemies who were superiour in number to him The two Marshals de Turenne and de la Ferte commanded two separate Bodies who to make sure work intended to inclose him betwixt their two Armies which the Prince having soon taken notice of he broke up from St. Cloue with an intention to march to Charenton and to entrench himself near that Bridge where by the nearness of the two Rivers Seyne and Marne it would be impossible to force his Camp The shortest way was to march thro' Paris but fearing least his Army should be considerably diminish'd by desertion in his march thro' the City or that the Citizens might deny him a Passage he changed his resolution and ordered his Troops to march round about as near the Suburbs as possibly could be He marched with all possible speed and precaution notwithstanding which Henry de la Tour d'Auvergne Vicount of en ne the Viscount of Turenne having got timely notice of it followed him so closely that after some hours march he attack'd him in the Rear and obliged him to come to an Engagement It was a happy chance for the Prince to meet with some old Retrenchments formerly cast up at the entrance of the Suburbs of St. Anthony behind which he posted his Troops to make head against the approaching Enemy He had scarce had leifure to put them in order of Battle when the King's Army animated by his Royal Presence attack'd his Entrenchments with incredible bravery As the King was at that time not much above 13 years of Age those that were about him could not sufficiently admire with what greatness of Courage and without shewing the least symptoms of fear he was an Eye-witness of the Engagement It was the greatest pleasure in the World to observe the various changes in his Countenance the effects of the different transports and motions of his Soul sometimes leaping for joy when he saw his Victorious Troops beat back those of the Prince sometimes blushing not so much for indignation as shame when the Prince forced the Royalists to retreat As in Civil Wars both parties are most incensed with mutual animosities so the bravest of both the Armies signalized themselves by some remarkable Action or other every one being prodigal of his Life to purchase Honour in this first encounter and to snatch the Victory out of his Enemy's Hands which thus remained uncertain for some time till after a bloody Combat of two hours fortune declared for the King whose Troops having made themselves Masters of the Entrenchments marched in good Order thro' the great Street of the Suburbs without any opposition from the Prince But scarce had they advanced half way towards the City when on a sudden they saw the Prince again appear at the head of his bravest Volunteers and other chosen Troops who charged them so vigorously that they forced them to retreat and to seek for shelter in the same Retrenchments from whence they had so lately forced their Enemies This varions chance of
his Presence she had her Eyes fix'd upon him during the whole Interview and she had so extraordinary an esteem ever after for his Person that even after her return to Rome she could not forbear to speak highly in his praise and to declare to all that came to see her that she thought her self amply rewarded for the trouble of her journey into France by the sight of that Prince and that his merits infinitely surpassed the reputation he had acquir'd abroad These loud acclamations from far distant Countries were received in France with the more satisfaction the more the King was belov'd by the People who look'd upon these his noble Qualities as so many pledges and happy Presages of the future prosperity of his Reign But as the hopes of the whole Kingdom seem'd to be center'd in his Person so all was fill'd with confusion when soon after he fell so dangerously ill He falls sick at Calais July 1 1658. June 25th 1658. as to be given over by his Physicians After the taking of Dunkirk which he enter'd in Triumph he stay'd 5 or 6 days in the Fort of Mardick which being a small place and at that time so full of Soldiers that they wanted both convenient Lodgings and other Necessaries most of them were sick which having caused an Infection it was represented to the King to what danger he exposed his Person in thus tarrying so long in a place where he was surrounded on all sides with sick Soldiers but notwithstanding all these Remonstrances he would not retire from thence till he had given the necessary Orders according to his first intention From thence he went to Calais where he had scarce been a few Hours but he began to feel the direful effects of the contagious Air which as it was believed he had taken at Mardick To be short he was seized with a most dangerous Feaver which he striving to conceal the first two days he was on the fourth day judg'd to be past remedy It is impossible to find Words suitable to the Grief that appear'd not only in the whole Court but in the Countenance of the People neither ought the Tears which were shed so plentifully upon this occasion to be looked upon as the effects of a feigned Zeal as it often happens on such like occasions in some Countries where the Subjects are forced to appear far different from what they are and hide their satisfaction under the mask of a pretended grief no these were the true Interpreters of their Hearts every one being in fear of losing so good a King and Master The Queen Mother who loved him most tenderly and who saw her self in danger of losing her main support did not stir from his Bed side day or night In the height of his illness he would several times endeavour to comfort her but this tenderness of the Son only served to make more lively impressions of sorrow in the Mother Some at Court having heard much discourse of a certain famous Physician then living at Abbeville he was sent for After he had examined the King's Distemper he told them that in the condition he was at present nothing but an Emetick could save his Life The Word Emetick made them all tremble for fear this Remedy in those days being looked upon as new and not well approved of and consequently consider'd as extreamly dangerous which made it to be debated for a considerable time whether it was fit to be given to the King or not especially since his Physicians jealous of him that had prescribed the Remedy opposed it with all their might But the King having absolutely resign'd himself to the disposal of God Almighty expected with an extraordinary composure of mind the issue of his Distemper without the least signs of being dissatisfied with his destiny which was likely to snatch him away in the very flower of his Age. Before he took the Vomit he order'd all the chief Men of his Court to be admitted into his Bed-Chamber where having with a composed and undaunted Countenance taking his last farewel of them he asked for the Glass which contained the Emetick and took off the whole Dose at one Draught After two Hours the Emetick began to work so successfully and to evacuate such a quantity of the Morbifick matter that there began to be some hopes of his recovery And the King having taken another Dose which performed its Operation with better success than before he was judged to be past danger to the infinite satisfaction of the whole Kingdom the rejoycings made upon this occasion being in all Respects answerable to the Affliction caused by his illness for besides that the French have naturally a most profound veneration for their Kings the generality of his Subjects had conceived such an extraordinary esteem of his noble Qualities that it is impossible to express the Affection they bore to his Person After his recovery it was judged advisable to chuse a Consort hitherto the Queen-Mother for some particular Reasons would never consent to his Marriage but the whole Court having taken the Alarm at his late illness it was resolved on as a thing absolutely necessary for the prosperity of the Realm The Queen who was altogether in the Interest of her Family had a great desire that the King should marry her Niece the Infanta of Spain in hopes that a good Correspondene and firm Union might be re-established betwixt these two Crowns The match was proposed to Don Antonio de Pimentel who pass'd thro' Paris as he was going to Madrid after his return from his Embassy in Sueden but this proposition met with much more difficulty on the Spaniard's side than had been foreseen by the Queen For the Infanta being an Heiress the Spaniards feared not without Reason that if her Father should happen to die without Male issue their Monarchy would be swallowed up in the French and that all those Kingdoms which compose the Spanish Empire might by this Marriage in time become Provinces of France The rest of Europe being possess'd with the same fear lest by the Union of these two most Potent Empires they should scarce be able to withstand their joynt Forces all the other Princes by improving the jealousie of the Spaniards secretly employ'd all their Interest to thwart this Marriage The Queen to remove all Obstables offered that the King should Solemnly renounce the Succession to Spain but the Spaniards could not swallow the bait being well satisfied that it was in his power to Absolve himself whenever he thought fit of so unjust and forced a Renunciation besides that it was not in his power to dispose of the Inheritance of such Children as should be begotten betwixt them And lastly considering that Princes generally measure the Justice of their Pretentions by the length of the Sword they look'd upon this precaution as frivolous and of no effect These considerations made the Success of this Marriage very dubious which hung thus in suspence for two Years till
at last it began to be discoursed at Court that the King was to Marry the Princess of Savoy whose Picture being presented to him he took such liking to it that he resolv'd to take a journey to Lyons to see her in Person The Queen was overjoy'd at this Journey in hopes that her Brother would once more consider of the matter and when he found himself in danger of missing this opportunity to shew henceforward as much inclination for the match as he had been opposite to it before Neither did she find her self frustrated in her hopes her wish being accomplished when she expected it least The Spaniards had during this War which lasted four and twenty Years sustained great losses they had been vanquished in six Field Fights and three Sea Engagements besides that they had lost above fifty places of note and the whole Kingdom of Portugal not to mention our Conquests in Germany and those of our Allies together with the many Encounters in most of which they had been miserably beaten By these so terrible and frequent misfortunes the Spanish Monarchy was reduced to so low an ebb that to recover its strength it stood in absolute need of a Peace and the People of Spain being quite exhausted cry'd aloud for it and in terms so pressing that the Council of Spain being cured of its former Repugnancy He Marries the Infanta Maria Theresia Eldest Daughter to Philip IV. King of Spain thought it most advisable to send an Ambassador to offer the Infanta in Marriage to the King It must be confess'd that none of these Obstacles which had hitherto retarded the Marriage were remov'd but it seems the present Exigency was judged more urgent than the danger that was to come or perhaps the Spaniards had raised these difficulties only with an Intention to try whether thereby they might obtain the better conditions of Peace The Queen was so desirous of this Match that it was easie to read the satisfaction she received by the Arrival of the Spanish Ambassador Pimentel with the Propositions in her Face the Articles were very near the same which had been proposed by our Court and every thing being thus agreed to the mutual satisfaction of both Parties it was judged convenient that the Cardinal and Don Lewis de Haro the Chief Ministers of State of both Crowns should have an interview upon the Frontiers to put the finishing stroak to this great Work The Treaties being signed on both sides Interview of the French and Spanish Courts the French Court took a Progress to St. John de Luz to meet the Infanta The King her Father had conducted her thither in Person partly to pay the more respect to our King and partly to take this opportunity to see the Queen his Sister Nothing can be imagined more magnificent than this interview Where-ever you turn'd your Eyes June 6 1660. there was nothing to be seen but the Pomp and Lustre of Precious Stones Gold and Silver every one there present striving to out-do the other in richness and magnificent Apparel with this remarkable difference however that the behaviour of the Spaniards appear'd far short from what was to be observed in our Court. The Politicians who are not so soon dazled with the outward Lustre of Things which are only invented to blind the Eyes of the Common People made certain Remarks at that time upon the appearance of these two Courts from whence they drew certain Presages and erected the Horoscope of both the Empires Our King was then about one and twenty years of Age of a vigorous Constitution Active Vigilant all his Designs tending to Glorious Actions whose principal care was to be always engaged in Affairs of State his Court was composed of Men of the first Rank not inferiour to any in Europe either at the head of an Army or to manage the secrets of the Cabinet besides which there was among all these Princes and other Persons of Quality not one but what made it his chief Ambition to serve him to the utmost of his Power and to sacrifice his Life for the Glory of his King and the welfare of his Country This Noble Emulation was the happy fore-runner of all the brave Actions performed afterwards under the Conduct of so great a King the more because France being a Kingdom abounding in Riches and all other Things Two Years Peace seem'd to be sufficient to repair its losses and to make it more flourishing than before On the contrary in the Spanish Court there was not the same appearance of Prosperity but only the slender remainders of a State that once when in its Splendour had made so great a noise in the World Their King was advanced in Years minding nothing so much as his rest Most of the Grandees had scarce been without the compass of the City of Madrid and were so fond of their own Interests as to look with a very indifferent Eye upon that of the Publick His Treasury was exhausted and the Kingdom destitute both of good Troops and expert Generals at least they had very few who had acquir'd any great Reputation abroad since the Prince of Conde who by his Valour and Conduct had for seven or eight Years upheld the tottering Fortune of that Crown was return'd to his Duty and came into France with all those brave French Volunteers of his Party Without calling to aid the assistance of the Stars it was no very difficult task to foretel in making a due comparison betwixt these two Crowns that one in all likelihood would lay the foundation of her greatness upon the ruins of the other After the Marriage of the King with the Infanta At St. John de Luz June 9th 1660. every thing was prepairing for our return to Paris All along the Road she was received by the King's Order with all the demonstrations of Honour and Respect but the Triumphs in the Provinces thro' which they passed were only the fore-runners of what they were to see in the City of Paris where every thing was prepar'd with an incredible Magnificence for the reception of their new Queen thereby to raise in her at the beginning of her Reign a high esteem of the Power and Riches of a Kingdom which a Foreign War of thirty Years and the Intestine broils of six Years had not been able to drain of its Wealth The King and Queen make their Entry in Paris Aug. 26 1660. Since the first beginning of this Monarchy there never appear'd a more glorious day in France The Streets thro' which they passed were covered with rich Tapestries the Gates adorned with Greens and Flowers the Windows and Balconies on both sides with the finest Carpets in the Squares and Market-places were erected Triumphal Arches beautified with Statues and Paintings not inferiour to what the old Rome could have produced when at the highest pitch of its Glory Besides this there was an incredible number of people flock'd hither from all parts of Europe
ranged on both sides of the Streets upon the Scaffolds that were built for that purpose before the Houses all which together made up so glorious a Show as is easier to be imagined than described All the Princes and other persons of Quality had spared no cost not only in their own Apparrel but also in their Equipages and Servants to the highest degree of profusion The Queen appear'd in a Chariot the King with all the Lords of his Court on Horseback in an Equipage so magnificent that nothing was ever seen or heard of which bore the least comparison to this glorious Cavalcade It was computed that the Charges bestowed on this occasion by particular Persons amounted to ten Millions of Livres every one striving to raise his Fortune by giving the King the most ample Proofs of their Zeal for his Honour and Service They were at a great distance met by the Acclamations of the People who wished the King a long and prosperous Reign As they passed thro' the Streets the Eyes of all the Spectators were fix'd upon him so that it might be truly said they had no Eyes but for him and scarce had he pass'd by in one place but the People run round about to meet him again and to see him as often as possibly they could Others may boast what they will of Honours these Superficial Ceremonies cannot come in the least in competition with those hearty wishes and vows which the People sent after him as he passed thro' the City it being certain that every one had so a real esteem and affection for his Person being prepossess'd with this opinion That one day he would be one of the greatest Princes that ever mounted the French Throne Neither was it long before they were sufficiently convinc'd that they had not been unfortunate in their guess when the King began to take the Reins of the Government into his own Hands and to manage the State Affairs by his own Conduct after the Death of Cardinal Mazarin who did not survive the conclusion of the Peace longer than ten Months This great Minister of State died when he was risen to the Pinacle of his Glory Cardinal Mazarin died March 9 1661. happy in that he had Triumph'd both over his own and the Enemies of the State and more happy still in that he had forced the first to acknowledge his great Deserts and the others to restore Peace to the Kingdom in a manner as glorious to himself as it was beneficial to the State AN ESSAY UPON THE HISTORY OF THE REIGN OF LEWIS the GREAT LIB II. BY the Death of the Cardinal Things were left in such confusion that The King takes the Administration of the Government into his own Hands notwithstanding the extraordinary Idea the people had conceived of the King 's great Ability they cou'd scarce imagine that a Prince then hardly two and twenty years old would venture to take upon himself so heavy a burthen or if he did it would scarce be possible for him to bear it but they were soon convinc'd of their mistake for the King in four or five Years time setled the Government upon so firm a Basis that for above these thirty Years past he has govern'd the Kingdom in great Tranquility without the assistance of a Chief Minister has been Victorious over his Enemies and restored Prosperity to the Kingdom a convincing instance that a Man may sometimes be Master of his own Fortune at least thus much is certain that Fortune will not be of long continuance if not upheld and managed by a dextrous Hand The first thing he did was to regulate his time and to prescribe himself certain Rules and Maxims of State gathered partly from the most famous Princes in former Ages partly from the Advice of the most quick-sighted of his Council He was so far from being check'd in his Glorious designs by the fatigues that must needs attend the management of publick Affairs that on the contrary these served only for a better relish of the Enjoyment of his Pleasures There was never a day but he imployed five or six Hours with his Ministers who were to give him an exact account of every particular transaction that passed in the Government He gave constantly once or twice a Week Audience to every Body was present at all the Councils and if any thing of great moment was to be debated there he would retire into his Closet to ruminate so long upon the matter till he had chosen what he judged most advisable to be done But notwithstanding his constant application to business it is not to be imagined His Divertisements that he renounced the enjoyment of his pleasures The heavier the burthen of publick Affairs laid upon his Shoulders the more requisite it was to be relieved by some pleasant intervals The strength both of our Spirit and Body is not inexhaustible but limitted within certain bounds which if transgressed leave us destitute and void of Vigour At the beginning of his Reign there were always Rejoycings Feastings Balls Carousels and Running at the Ring at Court this young Prince taking an extraordinary delight to pass his spare time in such noble Exercises and Divertisements as have been always accounted to belong to Princes to dazle the Eyes of the People who are extreamly taken with these Things and commonly judge of the Power of the Prince by these outward appearances of Grandeur Never any Prince understood better how to manage this point to his own Advantage and how to make the Lusre of the Throne appear more Glorious in the Eyes of the People It must be confess'd that his Court has always been the publick School of Politeness and Magnificence notwithstanding which as his chief delight has been all his life time in managing his glorious Designs in order to bring them to a happy issue so his Divertisements were never enticeing enough to him to make him neglect the management of Publick Affairs And as young as he was when he took the Administration of the Government into his own Hands he shew'd as much Eagerness and Assiduity in Reforming the Disorders that were crept into the Government as he did for his Pleasures Happy Prince who remains Master of his Pleasures who is not so intoxicated with his Diversions but that he can make use of and leave them whenever he pleases He who makes himself a Slave to his Pleasures in lieu of enjoying those honourable Recreations which were invented for the Relaxation of our Minds and Bodies finds himself insensibly entangl'd by a Charm sufficient to corrupt all his generous Inclinations Among other Abuses that were crept into the Government He re-establishes good Order in the Treasury the Mis-management of the King's Revenues as it was most likely to draw after it very fatal Consequences so it wanted a speedy Redress these being the Nerves of the State which if defective in their Function the whole Body remains without Motion and Vigour There
had been for fifteen or sixteen Years last past prodigious Summs rais'd in the Kingdom notwithstanding which the Government was over-charg'd with Debts the People exhausted with Taxes the King's Revenues anticipated there being but a slender Share left for his present Use Besides that he ow'd to the Bankers above Thirty Millions of Livres It must be confess'd that besides the ordinary Charges there had been an absolute Necessity of keeping five Armies on foot at a time and the Civil War requir'd more than ordinary Charges to satisfie the greediness of the Great ones who for the greatest part put their Services and Interests to sale to those that bid most This was nevertheless not the Principal cause of these Disorders the true source of this evil was to be look'd for among the Managers and Farmers of the King's Revenues who keeping the rest from the knowledge of the true value of them Farmed them at half or a fourth part of what they were worth besides that if they were to advance any Money before it was due to supply the present Exigency of the State they were sure to make their own Market at so dear a Rate that it has been computed that sometimes out of a Million of Livres of the King 's ordinary Revenue there was not brought above two or three hundred thousand into the Exchequer These Extortions had been constantly practised against the King during his Minority partly by the connivence of those who had the management of it and consequently a share in the Booty partly by the pressing necessity of the State at a time when standing daily in need of the assistance of Monied Men it was not judged seasonable to dive too far into this Mystery of iniquity till after the Peace when there might be sufficient opportunity to remedy these abuses But the Sur Intendant or Overseer-General of the King's Revenues was more mindful of his own pleasures than this trust Yet was not this the only cause of those Disasters which befel him afterwards there were several other matters of complaint of the greatest consequence exhibited against him which deserved severe Punishment for he had caused a Seat beloning to him to be Fortified without having demanded or obtained leave for so doing and by the profusion of great Sums made himself Friends and enter'd into Cabals to avoid punishment But the King being resolv'd to strike at the root of the Evil caused him to be taken up and examined concerning such matters as were alledged against him whereof he was found guilty by his Judges This bold stroke managed with so much Prudence kept all the rest in awe the Cabal vanish'd insensibly and notwithstanding the vast sums the Sur Intendant had bestowed among the Great ones there was not one that durst appear in his behalf A convincing instance that a Confederacy founded barely upon interest is soon dissolved when the Wheel of Fortune changes and takes away the prospect of future Advantages The King having restor'd Tranquility to the Kingdom and being resolv'd to introduce an absolute Reformation in the Treasury chose for the management of his Revenues a Person well versed in business of this nature of an active Genius John Baptist Colbert Secretary of State Controuller-General of the Exchequer Chief Surveyor of the King's Buildings and Manufacturies exact in his Accounts and a Man of an unshaken Resolution to do Juftice without Partiality and immoveable to any thing that might in the least turn to the disadvantage of the State The Person I speak of was John Baptist Colbert afterwards Minister and Secretary of State a Man of an extraordinary Head-piece and who had such an insight into the management of publick Affairs that he gave innumerable Proofs of his great Capacity whilst he sat at the Helm For by the Conduct and indefatigable Care of this Minister Matters soon appear'd with quite another Face in the King's Treasury The Revenues of the Crown were Let to Farm according to their true Value without any respect to Favour or Interest The Salaries of the Officers were setled at a certain Rate Instead of those Officers who during the late Troublesome Times had abused their Commissions and under the pretext of their Titles pillaged the Country and enriched themselves with the Spoils of the People certain Commissioners were appointed to manage all Affairs of moment A Change so sudden and unexpected appear'd like an Enchantment to the People who were afraid that many Years could not redress an Evil which had taken so firm Root among the Courtiers so that by making due Reflections upon the Times past and comparing them with the present State of Affairs they fansy'd themselves to be transplanted into another Kingdom The King's Treasury was at once stor'd with Money and a just Account being made of the Extorsions and Frauds committed by the Managers of the Revenue it was found that instead of the King 's being indebted to the Bankers and Receivers they ow'd him vast Sums Their prodigious Riches and most magnificent Palaces which they had built in all Parts of France the Richness of their Furnitures the Extravagancy and Profuseness which were daily to be seen in their Houses and at their Tables not to speak of many other Things which being so many Monuments of their Pride and Luxury appear'd as so many Witnesses against them were without question more than sufficient to convict these People born for the most part to no Fortune of Extorsions and Depredations But the King being resolv'd to proceed against them in a Legal Way In December 1661. a Court of Justice was established by his Order composed of certain Judges chosen out of the several Parliaments of France who were to take Cognizance of all the Abuses committed in the Management of the King's Revenues and to punish the Guilty according to the Heinousness of their Crimes Whilst they were busie in putting their Commission in Execution there happen'd an unforeseen Accident which had been likely to have proved the Source of a most cruel War the Matter in question being not about the Possession of some Towns or Provinces but how to defend the most antient Prerogative of the French Crown attacked by the Spaniards Precedency of the French Crown in its most sensible Part. The finest Flower belonging to the French Crown is the Precedency it enjoys above all the others There is no Kingdom which surpasses it in Riches Power and Number of People and in making a due Comparison it is evident that the great Actions of all the other Kingdoms join'd together can scarce come in Competition with the glorious Exploits of the French For these Thirteen Ages last past since the first Foundation of this glorious Monarchy the Sceptre has never been devolved or surrender'd into the Hands of any Stranger And such have been the Exploits performed by the French Nation in behalf of the True Religion and maintaining the Liberty of Europe that Time will never be able to blot
out the Memory of such glorious Actions nor the Praise and Acknowledgment due to such important Services Who knows but that all Europe might at this Day have groaned under the Yoke of the Califfs and Mahometans if the Bravery of the French had not set Bounds to their Conquering Arms and put a Stop to the Moors and Mahometans who like a violent Torrent were over-running the best part of Europe when Charles Martel put them to an entire Rout. France has at all Times been the Sanctuary and Place of Refuge for distressed Princes but especially for the Popes who are beholden to the Liberality of Pepin and Charles the Great for all those vast Possessions of which they are Sovereigns in Italy Charles the Great and Francis I. revived Learning in Europe It is to France that all the Western Parts stand indebted in respect of the most useful Arts and Sciences which being bury'd under the Ruins of Old Rome were revived by their Industry and Care These The Croisades and Conquest of Constantinople as well as many other glorious Actions which have render'd this Kingdom one of the most famous in the World were the true Motives which Time out of Mind had put this Crown in possession of that glorious Prerogative of Precedency among other Kingdoms which it enjoy'd without the least Opposition for many Ages The first Dispute began in Venice 1558. there never appearing a Rival bold enough to dispute the Rank with it till in the last Age Philip II. then King of Spain pretended to be its Competitor in this Prerogative Spain was at that time risen to the very Pinacle of its Glory The Spaniards were in possession of One Third Part of Europe besides the Immense Riches of the New World It cannot be deny'd Before 1017. Castile was only an Earldom The French made Henry instead of his Brother Pieter the Cruel a King from whom was descended that Princess who brought the Sceptre into the Austrian Family At Venice 1558. At Rome 1564. In Poland 1573. but that their Power appear'd most formidable in those Days to all Europe notwithstanding which their Pretensions were look'd upon as unjust and ill-grounded in most Christian Courts considering that Spain could not in the least come in Competition with France both in respect of its Antiquity or Dignity and that Spain had such vast Obligations to France that it could not be otherwise than the highest piece of Ingratitude in the First to pretend to incroach upon the Rights and Prerogatives of the Last These Considerations were so prevailing that Philip lost his Cause at Venice at Rome and in Poland And where-ever the Spanish Ambassadors pretended to dispute the Precedency it always turn'd to their own Disadvantage and our Satisfaction and Glory Notwithstanding they had met with so many Rubs upon this Account they never let slip any Opportunity to renew their Pretensions till at last our King oblig'd the King of Spain to make an express Renunciation of these Pretensions occasion'd by a certain Rencounter which happen'd betwixt the Count d' Estrades and the Baron de Batteville Ambassadors of the Crowns of France and Spain at the Publick Entry of the Count de Brahe the Suedish Ambassador in London The Count de Brahe was no sooner arriv'd in England but the Spanish Ambassador The Precedency disputed by the Spaniards but the Spanish Ambassador Batteville caus'd it to be spread abroad that to shew all imaginable Respect to the Suedish Ambassador he intended to send his Coaches and Domesticks to attend him at his Publick Entry The Count d' Estrades had got timely notice of the Matter but considering that the Predecessor of the Count de Batteville Alfonso de Cardenas a Person of extraordinary Merits and Understanding had never made the least Motion of this kind during his Residence at the English Court he look'd upon it only as a flying Rumour or at the most as some Rhodomontado of the Domesticks of the Count de Batteville not imagining in the least that it had been contriv'd on purpose by the Ambassador to be a Fore-runner of his intended Design For which Reason he sent his Coaches and Attendants to meet the Ambassador without any other Guard than his own Domesticks and without taking the least Pre-caution against any Assault But no sooner did the Coaches of the French Ambassador appear at the Publick Entry Octob. 10. 1661. but they were surrounded by many Soldiers and others to the Number of 2000 headed by the Domesticks of the Spanish Ambassador who furiously fell upon the Count d' Estrades his Attendants These defended themselves as well as they could for some Time but being over-power'd by the Spanish Party were forced to leave the Ambassador's Coaches to the Mercy of their Enemies who having kill'd some of the Horses and consequently prevented the Coaches from going farther Triumphantly and with their Swords in Hand accompany'd the Suedish Ambassador home It was the most ridiculous Thing in the World to see the Spaniards as they pass'd along the Streets to make so many Huzzah's there being scarce a Man of good Sense there present that could forbear laughing at the Vanity of these Imaginary Bravo's who by their extravagant Cries and other Expressions of Joy would have made the World believe that they had triumph'd over France and all its Forces and had wrested out of the Hands of the French the so long disputed Precedency by killing two or three Horses and as many of the Domesticks of the Count d' Estrades But as all the World stood amaz'd at the Vanity of this Enterprize so the French stood in Expectation to see how this Action of the Count Batteville would be taken at the Spanish Court He had been everal imes Ambassador and Governor of St. Sebastian easily imagining that this Bravado was not an Invention of his own as being a Man of better Understanding and too well vers'd in Affairs of this nature than to signalize himself without express Orders from Court by a Zeal so indiscreet as must needs expose the King his Master to this Nonplus either to take a gross Affront in disowning what his Minister had done and to declare him to have been in the wrong to contest with the French Ambassador for the Precedency or else to see himself again entangl'd in a War which in all likelihood must prove fatal to him at a Time when he knew himself to be in a worse Condition than ever to sustain it On the other hand the King of Spain's Health as well as the present State of the Kingdom being in a declining Condition exhausted of Money and destitute of good Forces there seem'd to be no likelihood that Spain after the late conclusion of a Peace so much desired on their side and so dearly bought should be so forward to break it on the account of a punctilio of Precedency especially since hitherto By Policy in Poland 1573. By threats at Rome 1564.
the Spaniards had rather been enclined to surprize the French in this point by some State-trick or other or to try whether they could hector them out of their Right by threats but never were come to such extremities even when engaged with one another in War and when that Monarchy was arrived at the highest pitch of its greatness But howsoever it be this seem'd to be the last effort the Spaniards intended to make towards their pretended Precedency This Enterprise of the Count of Batteville having given sufficient opportunity for all the World to be convinc'd that as this undertaking of the Spaniards savour'd very much of Vanity so the French had all the reason in the World on their side to maintain a just prerogative they enjoy'd for so many Ages The King of France had no sooner received Intelligence of what had happened upon this occasion in London George de Aubusson Archbishop of Ambrun and Bishop of Metz. but he sent immediate Orders to the Arch-bishop of Ambrun then his Ambassador in Madrid to demand satisfaction for what was past and in case of refusal to leave that Court and to return into France It is a customary thing with the Council of Spain to conclude upon nothing even of the least moment without many tergiversations and delays whether it it be that they look upon it as a Maxim of State whereby to tire out those that make their Applications to them and consequently to make them more pliable or whether it be only a Custom proceeding more from their Natural Inclination than any Mystery of State I will not pretend to determine Thus much is certain that as soon as the Archbishop of Ambrun demanded satisfaction in the King his Master's Name the King of Spain promised to make due reparation to the King of France his Son-in-Law and that he would recall the Count de Batteville his Ambassador out of England This was a fair step towards the demanded satisfaction but not altogether sufficient to repair the affront given upon so extraordinary an occasion the Chastisement intended against the Spanish Ambassadour might give some satisfaction for what was passed but did not remove the main Obstacle it being more than probable that the same quarrel might be soon revived if the Catholick King persisted in his Pretensions concerning the Precedency Most of the other Princes of Europe did underhand edge on the Spanish Court not to part with their pretended Prerogative it being natural for Princes to be jealous of one another in so nice a point as this which the French Kings had enjoyed time out of mind or because they were not without apprehensions that if a King so Young Valiant and Potent should gain a point of so vast a consequence without opposition it might in all likelihood be a sufficient encouragement for him to make farther Encroachments upon other Princes bordering upon France It was for this reason that two or three Months were elapsed before the Council of Spain would take a final resolution in the matter there being not a few of them who were of opinion rather to hazard all than to part with this Prerogative But the difficulty was by what means it was to be maintained against the King without exposing the Kingdom of Spain to utter destruction so that at last it was found expedient for the King of Spain to engage his Word that the Marquis de la Fuenta nominated to go Ambassadour from that Court to France should in his first Audience give absolute satisfaction to his most Christian Majesty both in respect of what was passed and for the time to come To add to the Solemnity of this Audience The King of Spain Renounces the Precedency March 24 1662. and to have a considerable number of Illustrious Witnesses present who might testifie to the World what they had heard the Spanish Ambassadour say upon this occasion the King had invited all the Foreign Ministers who all appeared to the number of thirty they were placed on the right side of the Royal Throne as were on the left the Princes of the Blood the Ministers of State and other Officers of the Court. In the presence of this August and Noble Assembly the Spanish Ambassadour told the King That the King of Spain his Master had been extreamly dissatisfied at what had happened in London on the 10th of October 1661. That so soon as he had notice of it he recall'd the Baron de Batteville with express Orders to return forthwith into Spain where he intended to give him such severe Proofs of his displeasure as so extravagant an undertaking did deserve That he had sent Orders to all his Ambassadors abroad not to appear in any publick Ceremonies where there might be the least likelihood of contest on the account of this Precedency and not to stand in competition for the future upon that score with the Ambassadours and other Ministers of his most Christian Majesty The four French Secretaries of State there present ordered an Instrument in Writing to be drawn up containing the same Words of this Declaration to serve in time to come as a lasting Monument to Posterity of the Glorious success of so memorable a Transaction which for some time had kept all Europe in suspense and for these hundred Years last past had made so much noise in the World between the two most Potent Houses of Europe who being like the Primum Mobile of all the rest put an end to that famous Contest which a most glorious Emulation had raised betwixt them Scarce was this difference composed August 20 1662. but there arose another betwixt the Pope and the King occasioned by an Assault made upon the Duke de Croqui his Majesty's Ambassadour at the Court of Rome The Affront put upon the Ambassadour was so gross that the like has scarce ever been heard of among civiliz'd Nations but it must also be confess'd that the History of all former Ages scarce can furnish us with an Example where the Law of Nations has been more gloriously vindicated than upon this occasion and where those who had impudence enough to violate it have been more severely chastised Two or three unknown Persons being pursued by ten Souldiers of the Pope's Guard Alexander VII had sought for shelter in the Stables belonging to the Palace of Farnese where the said French Ambassadour resided at that time Some of his Domesticks being come out at the noise and clashing of the Swords had driven the Souldiers back who being reinforced with some of their Comerades in their turn beat the Ambassadour's Attendance whom they pursued and forced to retreat within the very Gates of the Palace-The Duke in the mean while was come home thro' another Gate having understood the occasion of the tumult ordered his Servants immediately to desist and to withdraw within the Palace This precaution which he supposed might be a fit means to appease the Insolence of the Soldiers served only to augment it for
that he did not want means to do himself justice for the injuries received at his Hands but being willing to shew a more than Filial respect to the Holy See he suspended his just resentment for a whole twelve Month. For if on one side the consideration of so gross an affront provok'd him to Revenge on the other Hand the miseries and inconveniencies which attend a War to be waged in a far distant Country against the common Father of the Faithful kept his resolution in suspence It is not to be denied but that without reproach to himself he could scarce delay his Vengeance especially since it might be done without the least danger to his Affairs but it was also to be consider'd that as the danger was inconsiderable so there was but little Honour to be gotten by the Victory But being at last fuly convinc'd that the Court of Rome took advantage from these delays to abuse his patience he order'd his Troops to march to wards Italy and having seized uyon Avignon every thing was put in a readiness to pass the Alps. It was then that the Pope thought it high time to open his Eyes and that it was for his Interest to make a Virtue of Necessity and to prefer an Inglorious Peace before a War which in all human appearance must prove very successful to him His Kindred themselves perswaded him to take the surest measures as judging it more for their Intrest to turn the Mony raised by the Pope for the use of the War their own use than to render themselves Obnoxious by making themselves instrumental in troubling the Peace of Italy and to betray their Vanity to the World in being so presumptuous as to measure their Power with the greatest King of Christendom A Treaty therefore being agreed upon to be set on Foot at Pisa the King refusing to accept of Rome for the place of Treaty it was concluded soon after upon the following Articles That the Pope should be obliged to send the Cardinal Patroon The Cardinal Chigi in Quality of his Legat into France to disown the whole Action of the Corsick Guards That the Legat himself should make his Protestation before the King that neither he The Pope obliged to give satisfaction for the Affrone put upon the French Ambassadour nor any of his Family had had the least Hand in that attempt and that for the time to come they would be ready to give ample demonstrations of their Real Submission and Fidelity to the King That his Holiness's Brother should be obliged to make the same protestation in Writing and to leave Rome till such time that the Legat had given the promised satisfaction to the King That the Cardinal Imperiale should likewise come in Person into France to justifie himself and to submit his Cause if required to the decision of the King That the whole Corsick Nation should for the future be declar'd incapable of serving in the Ecclesiastical State and to brand with everlasting Infamy an Action so Insolent a Pyramid should be erected just opposite to the Corps de Guard in which should be Engraven the reason of their Banishment By Virtue of the same Treaty the Dukes of Parma and Modena besides several other Roman Lords that were in the French Interest obtained considerable advantages all which was to be attributed to the protection of the most Potent King in Christendom who thus obliged the Pope to give him the most ample satisfaction that could be for the Affront put upon his Minister The Treaty was executed accordingly July 3 1664. The Legat came into France the Pyramid was Erected and remained standing for five Years after 1667. when by the intercession of Clement IX the Successor of Pope Alexander VII the King was graciously pleased to order it to be broken down What could be more glorious at the very beginning of our King's Reign than to come off Triumphantly upon two so extraordinary occasions without as much as drawing a Sword These were the marvellous effects of the King 's growing Reputation which encreasing more and more every day had acquir'd a new Lustre the Year before the conclusion of the Treaty of Pisa by the possession of Dunkirk which was bought with much less charge than in all probability it could have been taken After the taking of this place we were by Virtue of a Treaty concluded with Oliver Cromwell obliged to surrender it into his Hands It was a very unfortunate thing for us to be forced to deliver the Key of our Kingdom into the Hands of such Strangers as we were sensible would not fail to lay hold of all opportunities to trouble our repose The King being sensible of this inconveniency had no sooner taken the Reins of the Government into his own Hands but he only watch'd for a favourable juncture to send these dangerous Neighbours back to their Island and to incorporate the said place with the rest of his Conquests Charles II. King of England being lately re-established in his Throne this juncture seem'd to be the most favourable in the World to treat with him about the Surrender of this place at a time when we were sensible that he was not in a condition to be at the charge of maintaining a Fleet in the Port of Dunkirk or to provide the City with such a Garrison as might be sufficient to make a vigorous defence in case of an Attack Notwithstanding which the Negotiation advanced but slowly or at least not so well as we could have wished This was occasion'd partly by the jealousie of our Neighbours partly by the reluctancy which the King of England shew'd in parting with a place so advantageous both for its Strength and Situation For it ought to be consider'd that Dunkirk was at that time not the same little paultry Town it was before the conclusion of the Pyrenean Peace when it was taken and retaken without any opposition it being since made one of the most considerable places in Europe chiefly by the care of Cromwell who had caused it to be strongly Fortified to serve upon an occasion as a safe retreat to him and his Party or else that the English might always be sure of a Gate by which to enter into the Heart of France at their own pleasure Besides this the Spaniards making more advantageous offers than the French and the Hollanders striving to out-bid both each Party having sufficient reasons to over-ballance one another Dunkirk bought from the English It was looked upon as one of the most refined pieces of Policy in the French to have managed that grand Affair with so much dexterity as to make themselves Masters of a place of that importance at the price of four Millions of Livres in spite of all the opposition of their jealous Neighbours The King had no sooner received the News that his Forces had taken possession of it but he went thither to give the necessary Orders for the accomplishing the Fortifications of
a place which was of the highest consequence for the safety of his Kingdom These several Affairs of the highest moment tho' they took up much of the King's time who spared no labour nor care till they were brought to a happy issue yet did this not so confine his Active Genius but that at the same time he applied his thoughts towards the re-establishment of the decay'd Military Discipline and to find out suitable remedies against those abuses that were by degrees crept into the Government Lewis XIV Re-establishes the Military Discipline Before the Conclusion of the late Peace all sorts of licentiousness had been practised among the Souldiers with Impunity and the neglect of the due observance of Military Discipline had introduc'd such disorders both among the Officers and Souldiers that in all likelihood it must have in time proved fatal not only to many private Persons who extreamly suffer'd under these violences but also dangerous to the State if the King had not put a stop to these enormities As he was sufficiently accquainted with the Natural Inclinations of Mankind to know that the most Valiant Men in the World if not confin'd under certain Rules and Discipline must be more hurtful than profitable to the State so he took a firm resolution to re-establish among them such Laws as founded upon a Prudent severity should be sufficient to keep them within their due bounds As he took effectual care that his Souldiers whether in sickness or health should be provided with all things necessary for their subsistence so he would not allow any one to be exempted from the exact observation of these Rules and all the Employments in the Army from the highest to the lowest being bestowed upon such as had deserved well in proportion to their Merits there was a strange alteration to be observed in the Army For the desire of Glory the Honour to please the King the fear of Punishment and the hopes of Reward this happy mixture I say of several Interests and Passions made such powerful impressions upon the minds of the Souldiery that every one in his Station strove as much to out-do the other in the just observance of his Duty as they formerly had been eager after Rapines and negligent in performing their Military Functions Thus a good Order being re-established in the Army it may be said without boasting that possibly there scarce ever appear'd better disciplin'd Troops in the Field than the French Armies under the Reign of the present King After the conclusion of the Pyrenean Peace the greatest part of the French Forces were disbanded nevertheless as those that were kept in pay were all chosen Men so the King took care to augment them from time to time not only to serve in his Garrisons but also to have in readiness such a number of well Disciplin'd Troops as he judg'd sufficient to maintain his respect both among his Subjects and Neighbours For what real assurance can a Prince have of the Fidelity of the one and of the sincerity of the others unless he be in a condition to maintain his Authority by his Power The better to train up his Soldiers to the Wars he order'd every Year Encampments to be made in some place or other where they perform'd all the Exercises belonging either to Sieges or Battles without Blood-shed This was look'd upon as of so much consequence that even in the most peaceable times it was never discontinued afterthey had once been convinced of its usefulness it being agreed on all Hands that not any thing else contributed so much to the inuring the Soldiery to the Fatigues of Wars and consequently to the obtaining so many Victories in the following Years as these Engagements Reviews and Exercises which kept the Armies under a constant good Discipline and trained up the young Officers as well as the Soldiers to serve their Apprenticeship at home in the Action of War Michael Francis le Tellier Michael le Tellier Chancellor of France had two Sons Michael Francis Marquis of Louvois Secretary of State and Charles Maurice Archbishop and Duke of Rheims Counsellor of State and Supervisor of the Sorbonne Marquis of Louvois Minister and Secretary of State was the Person whom France next to the King stands indebted to for the re-establishment of the Military Discipline and a good Order in the Army It is unquestionable that never any Man living had a better insight into all Martial Affairs whether in the most exquisite advantages belonging to Fortifications or in regard to the raising and maintaining a great Army in the Field He was a Person of a marvellous Activity and Vigilance as Firm Resolute and Bold in his Enterprises as Fortunate in the Success and to be short never any Minister deserved better at the same time both of his Prince and the State He was Eldest Son to Michael de Tellier Minister and Secretary of State and afterwards Lord Chancellor of France who render'd himself Famous by his Prudence Fidelity and great Services under the King's Minority Neither did the King shew less eagerness for settling the Administration of Justice He would give most particular marks of his Favour and Esteem to such of the Judges as he knew to be proof against Corruption crowning their Virtues with Praises and Rewards as on the other Hand he despised those who having purchased their Places at an excessive rate made use of their Power to satisfie their Avarice and Pride these were sure to meet with deserved punishment from his Hands and to receive the rewards of their Treachery in making the Royal Authority a Cloak where withal to cover their unjust Proceedings To banish for over from among his Subjects all vexatious Suits or at least to retrench the extravagancy of litigious Persons and superfluities in the Law which serve only to create and protract Suits he caused a new Codex or Law-Book to be compiled by the Advice of the most understanding Lawyers in the Kingdom and as he was not ignorant that the best Laws are useless or at least of little effect unless those who are to put them in execution be careful in the observance of their duty so he would frequently take an account of their Transactions and be always putting the Chancellor in mind to keep a strict Hand and a watchful Eye over the Judges and Magistrates that they might not be remiss in their Duties to Administer Justice without partiality and to punish the Transgressors without respect of Persons especially in what-related to the maintaining of the publick Tranquillity To encourage the rest by his own Example After the Death of the Chancellor Seguier he kept the Great Seal in his own Hands near three Months and tho' he would sometimes Pardon such Trespasses as proceeded rather from passion or misfortune than any ill design he never spared those who were found guilty of disturbing the publick Tranquility and above all prosecuted with the utmost severity all such as were convicted
of Dueling for it having been judged absolutely necessary for the publick safety that all manner of Duels should be forbidden under pain of Death by the King he look'd upon any Act of Grace in this kind as prejudicial to the Royal Authority and an unseasonable lenity as derogatory from the respect due to the Law which made him take a firm resolution to maintain its Force by inflicting severe punishments upon the Transgressors Neither was it long before the happy effects of the King 's firm Resolution and Zeal for the impartial distribution of Justice appear'd to the Eyes of all the World his Subjects being thereby insensibly brought into a habit of doing well and performing their Duty in their several stations Hence it was that every one enjoy'd the benefit of a Sweet and Charming Tranquillity under the protection of the Laws free from all fear and the avarice of corrupted Judges and the oppressions of the Great ones who if they offered any Violences were sure to come to Condign Punishment The surest way to prevent Factions in a Kingdom is certainly when the Prince by his Authority keeps all the several Orders that compose it within their bounds for the People being thereby engaged to respect no other Authority so much as his own this removes all occasion and danger of Revolts What shall I say as to the most useful Arts and Sciences which without contradiction The King gives Encouragement to all manner of Arts. flourish'd more than ever under a Prince who as he had a true relish of Things so it was his greatest delight to heap Riches and Honours upon Persons of extraordinary merits knowing that nothing turns more to the Honour of the Prince and benefit of the State than to give due encouragement to liberal Arts he drew by his great Liberality into France the most Excellent in all Professions from all parts of Europe with these Foreigners as well as Natives he fill'd up the several Academies erected by his Order for the improvement of all manner of Sciences of Painting Carving Architecture and Musick where these Great Masters and their Scholars strove by a Praise-worthy Emulation to out-vie one another and in their several Stations to bring their Pieces to the heighth of perfection The King to improve the Talent of so many Excellent Masters employed them in making those rich Furnitures and other pieces the like of which are not to be met with in any other part whether for the design or the curiosity of the Workmanship he erected Noble Structures in several parts but especially made use of their skill in the Louvre the Front of which is accounted one of the finest pieces of Architecture in the World The Subjects encouraged by the Example of their Prince began every where to apply themselves to Building especially in the City of Paris which encreased every day by the Additions of many goodly Structures so that in a few Years the Streets of the City of Paris were made broader than before the Cross-ways were adorned with noble Fountains the Channels and River side faced with Free-stone and there was not a Street so mean but there were to be seen some neat Houses built after a manner far different from what they had appear'd before Vast numbers of Strangers and other curious Persons came flocking from all parts to partake of the charming Enjoyments of Peace and Tranquillity in a City where there was great plenty of every thing requisite for the pleasure and necessity of Human Life even at the time of a general scarcity the King having by his own liberality and care supply'd their want and reduced the price of all Things to a reasonable rate But the City of Paris was not the only place that enjoy'd the benefits of his happy Reign He caused Wheat to be distrâ—â—ted at tâ— Louvre 1662. the other Provinces of France had also their share in the publick Felicity the King by affording all imaginable encouragement to Commerce made the whole Country overflow with Riches It is beyond all question that the French could not be ignorant what prodigious advantages must needs accrue by Commerce to such a Country as France which being water'd both by the Ocean and Mediterranean and irrigated by so many fair Rivers seems to be the most conveniently situated for Traffick of any in Europe notwithstanding which it was observable that all manner of Commerce had been neglected for a considerable time either because the Genius of the French Nation is more enclinable to Warlike Exploits than Traffick or because the Civil and Foreign Wars in which the Kingdom had been entangl'd for so many Years together had robed them of these advantages But the King was not sparing in any thing which he believed might contribute to the re-establishment of Trade in the Sea-Ports he made considerable abatements in his Customs most of those that were paid in the Rivers he took off he gave all imaginable encouragement to the Manufacturies of the Kingdom he at his own proper cost and charge employ'd a great number of Workmen to joyn the two Seas by a Canal as well as several Great Rivers and to render many lesser Rivers Navigable he established a certain Council of Commerce to be held in his Presence by whose Advice he created several Companies who trafficking in all parts of the World render'd the Great Name of their Prince Glorious in far distant Countries Besides that he granted them many Privileges they were provided both with Money and Ships by the King to carry on the design and never wanted necessary Convoys to conduct them safely to the place whither they were bound It was upon the score of Commerce that an Expedition was undertaken against the Coast of Barbary The enterprise against Gigery July 19 1664. it being certain that it was not out of a motive of extending his Conquests the King sent thither his Forces but chiefly for the conveniency of a Harbour from whence to annoy and bridle those Insolent Pyrates that are continually disturbing the Trade on those Coasts The success was at first answerable to the design they having made themselves Masters of Gigery and notwithstanding they were ill provided with Provision and Ammunition maintain'd themselves in the place three whole Months But the number of the Enemies encreasing daily and the Plague and Famine which at that time October 31 1664. made great havock on the Coast of Provence having retarded the Convoys designed for their succour they were at last forced to abandon the place and to return into France This Expedition proved thus unfortunate in the end having been undertaken not without great charges besides that we lost some of our best Troops and received some disgrace But this misfortune was abundantly recompensed by the Honour the French had acquir'd two or three Months before The Turks and Tartars having made a most powerful Eruption in Hungary The King sent succour to the Emperor and the German Emperour
Sees But it is to be observ'd that the Provinces of Guienne Dauphine and Languedoc pretended to be exempted from this rule whether it were that the Law of Fiefs which is suppos'd to be the Off-spring of the Regale and by vertue of which the Lord enjoys the Revenues of the Fief after the Death of a Vassal till the time of the Investiture of his legal Heir was never introduc'd in those Provinces among a People that were very tenacious of their natural Liberty or whether they enjoy'd this Prerogative by vertue of some particular privileges granted them by their Princes before they were incorporated with the Crown of France I will not pretend to determine In the Year 1608 the Parliament of Paris which alone takes cognizance and decides matters concerning the Regale on occasion of a contest about a Deanery vacant in the Church of Bellay declar'd by their Sentence on the 24th of April that the King's prerogative or the Regale ought to take place in all and every place belonging to the Kingdom enjoyning the Lawyers not to argue any thing to the contrary The Clergy being much alarm'd at this Novelty made their application to King Henry IV. who order'd that this Sentence should not be put in execution till the whole matter had been further debated and adjudged by King and Council Accordingly these Provinces by their Deputies appear'd before the Council and produc'd their Titles by vertue of which they laid claim to these Privileges they were taken into consideration but it hung in suspense till the Year 1673 when after many Proceedings which lasted near threescore Years the Council confirm'd in February the Sentence of the Parliament of Paris to wit that the Regale ought to take place in all the Provinces and Territories under the King's Jurisdiction The pointed contest being chiefly concerning the Province of Languedock all the Prelates of the said Province submitted to thiâ— Decree except the two Bishops of Alets and Pamiers who made their appeal to the Pope He was a Native of Cosmo in the Milaneze his Name being Benedict Odescalchi and afterwards assum'd that of Innocent XI a Man of very Virtuous Inclinations but sullen in his Temper zealous to an excess and too much addicted to his own Sentiments which is the frailty of Men that even the most Virtuous are too apt to indulge their own Humour these Prelats having by their Letters and Agents in their Audiences represented the Regale to the Pope as a point of Heresie sufficient to destroy the true ancient purity of Religion he sent two Briefs to the King and in a third threatned the King no less than with the Fulmen Papale or Thunderbolt of the Church adding these following Words That he would be made sensible in time that he did not oppose him alone but Jesus Christ himself against whom all human Force and Prudenc could not avail Most People of sense and unbyass'd judgment who made it their business to dive into the Mystery of this matter could not but be amaz'd to see the Pope oppose with so much violence so potent a King and who had so lately given such eminent proofs of his Zeal for the Catholick Religion barely on the account of the imaginary notion of the two Prelates It was alledg'd by these wise Polititians that the subjection of the Province of Languedoc under the Prerogative of the Regale could not be imagin'd to be the true cause of the pretended affliction of the Church no more than the same could be imputed to other Provinces that at all times had submitted to the same Prerogative A difference of this nature might have proved of very ill consequence under another Reign there being too many examples when such a spark has broke out into a flame which all the art of Men has not been able to quench It being unquestionable that those contests which arise with the Church are to be manag'd with a great deal of caution and that it is sometimes more conducible to suffer with Patience than to go about to set up a Reformation which generally proves unsuccessful unless with the hazard of occasioning a Schism in the Church There were not a few who making serious Reflections upon these differences were of opinion that the Court of Rome was not ill pleas'd to have met with this opportunity of the Regale and some other matters of the like nature to serve them as pretences to come to a rupture with us it has been said they the general Maxim of all the Popes for many Years last past to keep up as much as in them lay the balance betwixt the most Potent Princes in Europe for fear least one of them should be put in a condition to prescribe Laws to the rest Italy and the Popedom it self might be in danger of being swallow'd up by the most Potent That it was upon this score the Pope had laid hold of this specious pretence to joyn with the Confederates against France the King's Reputation Prosperity and Power being rais'd to that pitch as to give more occasion of Jealousie and fear to the other Princes at this time than the over-grown greatness of Charles V. did in the last Age. The firm resolution the Pope shew'd in adhering to his first sentiments without giving the least ear to the remonstrances made on our side seem'd to intimate to the World that these conjectures were not ill grounded The King both for his own satisfaction and to endeavour by all means possible to perswade the Pope to a compliance sent the Cardinal Cesar d'Estree in the quality of his Ambassador to Rome a Man of a vast understanding a great Divine and a greater Politician who besides that had attain'd to a degree of Learning much above the common ranck but neither the Conduct of this great Minister nor the submission of the King were prevailing enough with the Pope to make him alter his Sentiments The Bishops of France taking into their serious consideration Assembly of the French Clergy 1682. this unfortunate conjuncture made their application to the King desiring leave to call an Assembly of the Clergy in order to concert such measures as might either satisfie the Pope or if that did not succeed might prevent the effects of his threats The Assembly was very remarkable for its number and the great capacity and known vertue of those that compos'd it After having examin'd the Briefs and well weighed the matter concerning the dispute about the Regale the Clergy with the King's approbation came to this Resolution that his Majesty was willing to renounce any thing depending on the Regale that should be found contrary to the Discipline and Practice of the Church This Medium appear'd to be much more advantageous to the Church in general than the pretended exemption from the Regale could be to those of Languedock but this was so far from giving any real satisfaction to the Pope that he look'd upon the whole transaction to be a Crime committed
inhabited by the last and that a good number of Prudent and Zealous Missionaries should be sent among them who by their Instructions and good Examples might bring back these lost Sheep to the Sheep-fold To back their Zeal and Endeavours by his Royal Authority he promised ample Rewards Honours and Privileges to such of his Subjects as would return into the bosom of the Church and to punish those that remain'd obstinate he not only excluded them from his Household and all other employments of Honour or Profit but order'd also that Soldiers should be quarter'd in their Houses till such time that they might be prevail'd upon to change their Opinion In such a case as this it is not sufficient to give good and wholesome Instructions there being a certain benummedness as it may be said in Mankind which oweing its Off-spring to a long Custom makes them look with too much indifferency after the means of their Salvation unless they be spurr'd on by fear Most Men are so prepossessed with prejudices especially if degenerated into a habit of carelesness that they think it scarce ever worth their while to make a due search after Truth unless they be forc'd thereunto by the apprehensions of danger and the desire of living in quiet The King order'd all the Courts of Justice erected by vertue of the Edict of Nantes to be abolish'd and in lieu of them made several Laws in favour of the Catholick Religion which debarr'd them from that pernicious liberty of abjuring the true Religion and those of the Protestants who had embrac'd it to return to their former Errors and Heresie under severe punishments to shut up all such Churches as receive them and to forbid the Ministerial Function to their Preachers But these were too fond of maintaining and encouraging their Faction to give ear to the King's Commands who to punish their disobedience order'd many of their Churches to be pull'd down and laid level with the ground especially in such places where the had exercis'd their Divine Worship contrary even to those Edicts which were made in their behalf It is in this place that with all the reason in the World may be apply'd this saying That there are certain Truths which appear so little probable that they resemble more a Fable than Truth it self Will it not appear incredible to Posterity when they shall read that we have seen in our times so strong a Faction dwindle away to nothing without any violence or commotion For in four or five Years time whole Cities were re-united to the Obedience of the Church who had this comfort to see by the conduct of her eldest Son Two Millions of her Children return into her Bosom Thus the King in the Year 1685 on the 22th of October annull'd the Edicts of Nantes and Nismes their Churches were all laid level with the Ground their Ministers banish'd the Kingdom and Calvinism was entirely rooted out without the least commotion As by these so many and great Actions the love which the People bore to the King encreased more and more every Day so it is scarce to be express'd with what a general consternation the whole Kingdom was seiz'd when about a Year after his Life was in danger For seven or eighth Months before In Decem. 1678. he had been much out of order having at several times been seized either with a Fever or some other Distemper till at last it breaking out into an Ulcer an incision was judg'd the only remedy against the Evil which being applied accordingly prov'd so dangerous that he could not possibly have escaped with his Life if the Fever had return'd But the cause of it is attributed by many to the excess of fear which seizes the faint hearted Patient in such an operation so the King having born it without the least commotion he scarce found any alteration having receiv'd the visits of many the same Day appear'd in Council the next and during the whole time he was afflicted with this Evil which lasted above five Weeks he manag'd all State-Affairs and dispatch'd his Orders with the same activity as he was us'd to do before As long as he was judg'd to be in danger the whole Kingdom offer'd up their Vows for his recovery Nothing was more frequent than to see the Handycrafts Men leave their Employments and to run in prodigious numbers to the Churches which were always full from Morning till Night the People flocking in vast numbers to Pray for the King's Health But as they had given most evident proofs of their sorrow and grief hitherto so they strove to out-do one another in their demonstrations of Joy at his Recovery the rejoycings made upon this Occasion being risen to that degree of extravagancy that it was judged convenient to put a stop to them by publick Authority But if his recovery fill'd all his Subjects with joy and satisfaction his Enemies jealous of his greatness were the more surprised when they found themselves deceiv'd in their expectation It was above a Year since the Prince of Orange the Ministers of the Emperor and the Duke of Neuburgh had fomented the jealousie which the other Princes of Europe had conceived at our King's Prosperity The Duke of Neuburgh especially being a very active Prince and a great Politician who never miss'd the least opportunity of promoting his own Interests had made many Cabals against France especially in Germany and Spain where by his perswasions he animated these Princes to enter into a League against us insinuating to them the danger that threatned them smâ—e the conclusion of the Truce made at Ratisbonne in the Year 1684 which he represented to them more disgraceful than the Peace it self made at Nimeguen and that therefore it would be more for their Interest to take up Arms for the recovery of their Losses and Reputation an open War being less dangerous than to suffer France to bid defiance to them in the midst of Peace that they could scarce hope for a more favourable juncture than this the present greatness of France being owing to their King whose health being now impaired to that degree as not to be able to get on Horseback and to animate his Subjects by his Presence These insinuations and intrigues were at last so prevailing that in the Year 1686 in July an Alliance was concluded at Augsburgh against France betwixt the Emperor the King of Spain the States-General of the United Provinces the Elector Palatin and the Electors of Brandenburgh and Saxony many Catholick and generally all the Protestant Princes of Germany After the taking of Luxemburgh and the conclusion of the Truce the King had shewn more inclinâ—… than ever to maintain the Peace of Christendom he had let the Emperor gain several Battles and Conquer a whole Kingdom without any opposition or making the least Diversion which might in all probability have prevented the Imperialists from extending their Conquests and ruining the Ottoman Empire which seem'd at that time to
lost the Kingdom of Ireland which was Conquer'd by one of the Prince of Orange's King William III. Generals who had taken Limerick and oblig'd the French Forces to return into France In recompense of this loss he was buoyed up the next following Spring of being suddenly restor'd to his Throne There were many of his Adherents and Creatures left in England besides a good many of his old Servants who being employ'd in bringing over the Officers of the English Army and Fleet to their side perswaded themselves to have managed matters with so much dexterity that it was impossible to fail in the Enterprise Full of these hopes this Prince craved assistance from our King who granted him a good Fleet and a sufficient number of Land-Forces to be transported into England Then he marched with his Troops into Normandy expecting the success of our Fleet which under the Command of the Count de Tourville Vice-Admiral of France was gone to Sea in quest of the Enemy But we found our selves soon mistaken in our fond expectations for the English were so far from running before us or to declare for the King of England as we had been perswaded they would that they gave Tourville a very warm reception Loss of fifteen Fr. Men of War in May. The French Fleet was much inferiour in number to the Enemies consisting only of forty four Men of War for the Line of Battle whereas the Confederate Fleet was fourscore and ten strong Notwithstanding this great inequality the French Attack'd them so briskly that for three hours together they had the advantage over the Enemies who were extreamly damnified in their Masts and Rigging lost one of their Ships which was sunk and most of their Fireships whereas we lost not one Ship during the whole Engagement Both Fleets being separated by a thick Fog and the Night Tourville fearing not without reason that considering the inequality of their Forces he should not be in a condition to cope with the Confederate Fleet a second time thought it most advisable to take this opportunity of making the best of his way towards the French Coast But his Fleet being separated by the darkness of the Night one and twenty of his biggest Ships gain'd the Port of St. Malo where they were sufficiently secur'd against any attempt of the Enemy But fifteen others not being able to steer the same course by reason of the contrary Winds were so closely pursued that being in danger of being taken they run a-shoar and after having taken out all their Cannon and most of their Rigging the French set fire to them rather than to leave them a prey to the English and Dutch Nothing is more common in the World than to lay the ill success of an Enterprise at the Door of him who has had the supream Direction and Management of it most People looking upon a disaster of this nature to proceed chiefly from the ill Conduct of the General whereas they attribute the happy success of a Battle merely to Fortune But it must be confess'd that Tourville had the satisfaction to hear his Enemies give him this Character That he had acquitted himself upon this Occasion as a great Commander But the taking of Namur did surprise the Confederacy and all Europe in such a manner Siege of Namur by the French that our success in Flanders soon effaced the remembrance of the disgrace received at Sea Namur is situated at the confluence of two Rivers the City lies in a Plain the Castle is built upon a Rock both are very regularly fortified this being one of the most considerable places in all Flanders for its Situation and of such consequence that in the last Age this being the only Place in the Netherlands remaining in the Spaniards Hands they by the help of it recover'd all the rest of the Low-Countries which have been in their possession since The several Works belonging to the Castle were like so many Citadels each of them being provided with its Out-Works Ditch a particular Garrison and Commander In the Fort William alone was a Garrison of two thousand Men and a train of Artillery sufficient to defend a great City These Forts being built upon an assent which reaches up to the body of the Castle command one another And defend the avenues leading to it At the time when it was besieged by the King the Place was provided with a Garrison of eight or nine thousand Men with great store of Ammunition and Provision of all sorts under the bravest and most expert Officers among the Confederates The Prince of Orange King William III. was at that time in Flanders and the Confederates were so numerous on that side that they could bring together an Army of an hundred thousand Men. But all these obstacles were not capable of altering the King's resolution who after every thing was in a readiness for the carrying on of so great an Enterprise ordered two separate Armies to take the Field in Flanders the less numerous of the two was employed in the Siege the other to cover it against any attempt of the Enemy These two Armies consumed every Day two hundred and fifty thousand Rations of Bread and thirty thousand French bushels of Oats allowing half a bushel for each Horse a Day And the King had taken such sure measures as to all the necessary Supplies that as long as the Siege lasted there was always in both Camps no less than for fifteen Days Provision Twenty thousand Pioneers were employed in making the Lines of circumvallation and contravallation and the Trenches were opened in three Days after The City made at first a vigorous Defence but capitulated on the eighth Day finding it self not in a condition to sustain a general Assault The surrender of the City made the Enemy fear that the Castle tho' accounted impregnable might follow the example of the City for which reason the Prince of Orange King William III. Count Waldeck General of the Dutch Forces and the Elector of Bavaria who had lately been made Governour of the remaining part of the Spanish Netherlands advanced and posted themselves near the Banks of the River Meheigne These three Bodies made together an Army of near an hundred thousand Men which was continually in motion to intercept our Convoys or to endeavour to force our Quarters if they should find an opportunity The Marshal de Luxemburgh not inferiour in number to the Confederates being encamped on rising Ground on the other side the Meheigne at about half a Leagues distance from the River expected them in good order there being a large Plain betwixt them and the Enemy But the Prince of Orange King William III. had either no inclination to hazard a Battle or else could not meet with a favourable opportunity to put his design in execution for he caused five or six several times Bridges to be laid over the River but they were immediately broken down again Thus these two great Armies encamped within sight
Dauphin who with so much Application did shew them the way to true Vertue that following both the Footsteps and Instructions of such Guides there never appear'd in any Princes in the World more noble Sentiments and generous Inclinations than in these three the Eldest having given already to the French Nation by his happy disposition to Vertuous Actions all the imaginable hopes of becoming one day a great Prince If the vertuous Inclinations of Princes are like Springs which derive their noble Effects and Communicate them to their Subjects nothing is so great but what may be expected from the happy Marriage of so accomplish'd a Prince with a Princess whose Merits equalize if not surpass her high Extraction and that most eminent Station she is placed by Providence in the World The Peace of Italy proved the happy forerunner of a general Peace It was two years since several Proposals had been made upon that Account which were often changed according to the several change of Affairs in Christendom matters being at that time not brought to a perfect Maturity But towards the latter end of this Campaign there appear'd more disposition in the Confederates for a Peace than before and the People both in England and Holland shew'd much eagerness for it the Allies were for the most part discouraged by the many Disappointments they had met with and most of them having no particular Interest in the War began to hearken to these Proposals which were made on our King's behalf to give Satisfaction to some of the Confederate Princes thus every thing seem'd to tend towards the Conclusion of a general Peace if an un-foreseen Obstacle had not overturn'd all these fair hopes Charles II. Charles II. K. of spain the present King of Spain happen'd to fall ill in the beginning of October so as to have three several Relapses in less than six Weeks time This Prince having no Issue and all Europe taking Interest in the Quarrel which was like to arise after his Death about the Succession the Confederates shew'd not much forwardness to bring it to a Conclusion till after the recovery of this Monarch It was perhaps upon this score that the Ministers of the Emperor and of some of the rest of the Confederate Princes found means to raise many difficulties concerning the Passes and the place where the Ambassadours were to meet to carry on the Negotiation of Peace The Conferences were already begun at the Hague as being the Center where the Ministers of the Consederacy used to meet besides that the Dutch shewed more Inclination for the Peace than the rest and made use of all their Endeavours to promote so great a Work Money began to be so scarce among them that they were hardly put to it to find means for the raising of new Troops to furnish their Quota of Men and Money which made up the largest share of the whole Confederacy They were also under some apprehensions that the Catholick Princes might be prevail'd upon either by the Mediation of the Pope or of the Duke of Savoy to conclude a separate Peace For since the Conclusion of the Peace in Italy the Emperor's Minister remain'd still at Turin The Governour of Milan had also taken several Journeys thither the Count de Tesse resided there in our King's behalf and the Marshal de Catinat had stayed there for some time before he repassed the Alpes The long stay of these Ministers in a Court which so lately had changed its Interest their frequent Conferences the many Messengers that were continually sent forwards and backwards betwixt Paris Vienna and Madrid raised no small jealousie in the Dutch and made them fear lest if the Emperour the King of Spain the Elector of Bavaria and the other Catholick Princes should make a separate Peace they would be left a Sacrifice to France But whilst these debates lasted both Parties began to make greater Preparations than ever for the Prosecution of the War Campaign of 1697. The King's Power appear'd more formidable than it did nine Years ago for he had more Money more Troops and better Officers than at the beginning of the War His Forces both in Garrisons and in the Field were counted to consist of four hundred and twenty thousand Men to wit three hundred and fifty Thousand Foot and threescore and ten Thousand Horse without reckoning those Employed in the Sea-Service who were no less considerable this Year than at any time before the King having applied all his Care to Arm in all his Ports and Equip all the biggest and best of his Ships The Confederates on the other side having taken a resolution to make their last Efforts this Campaign the Prince of Orange King William III. and the Dutch made a defensive League with the King of Denmark by Vertue of which he was obliged to furnish them with a certain number of Troops and a Squadron of Men of War But in the midst of all these vast Preparations the Plenipotentiaries of all the Princes that were engag'd in this Bloody War began to open the Conferences for the Conclusion of the Peace Delft and the Hague were pitch'd upon for the Places of Residence of these Ministers and the Castle of Riswick which lies betwixt these two Places to hold their Conferdnces in A considerable time before the opening of these Conferences Neutrallty proposed for Catalonia a Negotiation had been set on Foot at Turin to conclude a Neutrality for Catalonia The Spaniards cannot be more sensibly touch'd in any part of their Dominions than in Catalonia which lying so near to the Center of the Kingdom and Danger threatning from that side puts the People of Spain into a Ferment which is more dreadful among the Spaniards than other Nations The King of Spain wanted the necessary Funds for the carrying on of the War the Duke of Savoy having not disbanded any of his Troops either because matters were thus concerted betwixt our Court and him or because he intended to improve the present Conjuncture to his Advantage the Spaniards could draw but few of their Troops out of the Milaneze The Confederates had no Fleet in the Mediterranean and were consequently not in a Condition to succour them with any of their Troops in Catalonia besides that these Foreign Auxiliaries prov'd more troublesome to the Inhabitants than the Enemy considering all these disadvantages the Council of Spain were inclin'd to accept of this Neutrality if it had not been represented to them by the Emperor's Ministers that if our King should be freed at once from the War both near the Alpes and the Pyrenean Mountains it would be so great an Addition to his Strength that the Confederacy would be reduc'd to a necessity of preventing their Ruin by the Conclusion of a disadvantageous Peace These Considerations were so prevailing with the Spaniards that they neglected their own Interest for that of the Confederacy and refused to accept of the Neutrality with Catalonia The glorious success of
their Neighbours into a continual Alarm that this whether true or false would at one time or other turn to the disadvantage of Poland which thereby would change its present happy Condition for the Miseries of a long War That their Riches and Forces would be employed to promote the ambitious Designs of France the Prince of Conty tho' invested with the Royal Dignity not being discharged from the Obligations due to our King whom both in point of Gratitude and Interest he could not be able to refuse whatever he desired They were also not sparing both in their Threats and Promises but the King's Interest prevailing over all their Intrigues the Prince of Conty was Elected by the plurality of Votes For of thirty two Palatinates that appear'd in the Field eight and twenty declared for him the Elector of Saxony having only four on his side This Prince being so much superior in Number of Voices to his Competitor was immediately proclaimed King by the Archbishop of Guesna Pr. Conty proclaimed King of Poland Primate of Poland who has the Administration of Affairs in Poland during the Interregnum and who alone has a Right of Proclaiming a King But the Elector of Saxony against all the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom was likewise proclaimed King by the Bishop of Kujavia who falsely pretended to this Power The Elector's Faction raised great Disturbances in the Kingdom Elector of Saxony proclaimed King of Poland endeavouring to maintain themselves by Force and violent Means The most speedy way to disperse these Clouds and to restore a perfect Calm in the Kingdom and to remove all future Danger of any civil Commotions was the calling of a new Diet to determine the Difference concerning this Election and to maintain the Prince de Conty in his Pretensions and to confirm his Election by the Authority if not of all at least of the major Number of the Palatinates The issue of this grand Affair kept all Europe in suspence for some time but the Siege of Barcelona which had been carried on for two Months together with the utmost Vigour Siege of Barcelona was look'd upon by most to be of no less Consequence Barcelona is one of the most Considerable Forts in all Spain It is a very large rich populous City Famous for its Traffick It is tollerably well Fortified on the Land side having a Fort at a quarter of a Leagues distance from the Town built upon a steep Rock The Place was at that time provided sufficiently with Ammunition besides which they received constant Supplies the Town being not begirt on that side where the Fort lay The Garrison consisted of eleven thousand disciplin'd Troops besides four thousand Miquelets They play'd without Intermission with their Cannons Bombs Granado's and other Fire-Arms and sometimes made four Sallies in one Night They disputed every Inch of Ground with us in their Outworks some of which they retook twice or thrice and at last made new Entrenchments within the old Bastions and inspite of the Prayers of the Inhabitants and Threats of the common People they stood it out with an unparalelled Bravery to the last Extremity The Count de la Corsana Governour of the City and the Landgrave of Hesse Darmstadt Commander in Chief of the Garrison acquir'd immortal Glory in the Defence of this Place On the other hand what Pen is able to give due Praises to those who vanquished such brave Men who by their invincible Courage overcame their Resolution and were not discourag'd by the Fatigues and Dangers of so long and bloody a Siege The number of the Besieged did bear no proportion to the Besiegers the Duke of Vendosme's Army consisting of no more than thirty thousand Men at the beginning of the Siege and the Reinforcement which he received from Provence and Languedock not above eight or nine thousand strong being all Militia But what is unaccessible to a General who has an equal share of Courage and Conduct who knows how to manage his Troops to the utmost Advantage who by his Example teaches them to out-brave all Fatigues and Dangers and to be rather encouraged than dismay'd at the Bravery of their Enemies Thus the Siege was carried on with all imaginable Vigour tho' for want of sufficient number of Forces we could not carry our Lines quite round the Place The covered Way was attack'd three several times Attacks upon the covered Way and in three several places In the first assault we lodged our selves upon one of the Angles but were beaten back from the two others We had a second Assault the next day but without Success not being able to maintain us in our Posts till the third Then the Batteries on the Counterscarp began to play most furiously The Bombs and red hot Bullets laid two thirds of the Town in Ashes and the dead Carcasses buried under their Ruines sent forth such a nauseous Scent as infected the whole City Soon after we had made Breaches both in the Bastions and Courtines but the Duke of Vendosme did not think it convenient to give the general Assault till he had routed the Viceroy to take away all hopes of relief by Land from the Besieged of which they had no hopes left by Sea the Allies having at that time no Fleet in the Mediteranean and a Squadron of nine French Men of War many Frigats and thirty Gallies laying before the Port. The Count d' Estree was Commander in Chief of this Squadron the Forces and the Officers that were embarqu'd on board of these Ships did great Service in this Siege The taking of the covered Way in the third Assault being as chiefly owing to the Valour of James de Noailles Lieutenant General of the French Gallies All the remaining hopes of the Besieged were in the Relief they expected from the Viceroy who kept the Field with four or five thousand regular Troops and a good Body of Miquelets They had also another small Body of about seven or eight thousand Horse and a thousand Foot which being posted betwixt the Mountains made frequent Incursions to annoy and intercept our Convoys and to prevent our Peasants from carvying Provisions to our Camp The Enemies Design was to attack our Lines in two or three places at once and to force them if possible under the favour of a General Sally to be made by the whole Garrison at the same time The Spanish Army surprised The Duke de Vendosme thinking it the safest way to prevent them in their Design and having received Intelligence by his Spyes that they were very carelesly Encamped marched out two hours before break of Day with six thousand of his best Men and at the same time fent a Body of three hundred Horse two hundred Dragoons and a thousand Fusiliers under the Bommand of the Count d' Vsson to surprise the Spaniards that were posted betwixt the Mountains The Cavalry and Outguards being cut in pieces the Duke advanced without the least Resistance to the