Justice and Wisdom that are reported of him It hapned when I was at Lahor a Prince caused the Groom of his Stables to be killed in a very barbarous manner his head to be struck through with a large Nail for a small fault for not having tended and dressed his beloved Horse as he should have done When the Emperor was sitting in the Seat of Judicature which he constantly doth every moneth in a day appointed for that purpose in a great Meadow out of the Royal City the Grooms or Farrier Wife made her complaints of the cruel massacre of her Husband the Great Mogol sent immediately for the Prince and asked him If it were so as the Woman said He confessed his crime Therefore the Mogol caused him to be stretched upon the Ground and commanded the Woman or the Farriers Widow to deal with him in the same manner as he had dealt with her deceased husband There are many other reports concerning the Justice and Wisdom of this Prince He governs his Kingdom very well and causeth Justice to be administred only to ingratiate himself with his Subjects and prevent the tumults which they might otherwise be tempted to raise because of the cruel detention of his aged Father for which unnatural deed he knows that he is hated He is about forty years old it may be when his Father shall be dead he will loose his present Moderation and his forced Inclinations now imprisoned by the considerations of Safety and Interest may burst out and discover themselves In this manner Father Grueber answered to our Questions we had a great desire to inquire of other Matters concerning that remote Countrey but in regard our conversation had lasted many hours and that much of the night had been spent in this pleasing discourse we thanked him for his great civility and withdrew to our Lodgings Observations of the Travels of Father J. Grueber taken out of the Letters which he hath written in Latine to Kircherus IN the Year One thousand six hundred sixty one in the Moneth of June these Fathers travelled out of Pekin and in thirty days they arrived at Siganfú and from thence they went to Sining or Siningfu in as many more having twice passed the River Hoang This City of Sining or Siningfu is a great City full of Inhabitants scituate near the prodigious Wall of China through its Gates all Merchants and Passengers out of India must pass to enter into Cathaia or China and where they must rest until they have got from the King a Passport to proceed further This City is in Thirty six Degrees and ten Minutes from the Pole From Sining they went in three Moneths time through Kalmuck a Wilderness of Tartaria to the Borders of the Kingdom of Lassa which the Tartars call Barantola This Wilderness is in some places Mountainous in others plain full of Sand and Gravel and therefore is barreâ— and unfruitful Nevertheless Nature hath allowed some few Rivers to water it upon their Banks there is very good Grass for Cattle Thâ—â— Desart stretches it self from tâ—â— Southern part of India to tâ—â— Northern and is so large that nâ—ver any body yet that I could find did ever survey its bounds somâ— think that it reacheth as far as thâ— Frozen Seas It hath many nameâ— P. Marcus Venetus names it the Desart of Lop famous for the ordinarâ— apparitions of Devils and Spirits 〈◊〉 but the Fathers of our Society makâ— no mention of it although these Spirits have oftentimes discovered themselves He does not approve of their continuance and constant appearing to all The Tartars did antiently call it Belgian afterwards Somo the Chineses Kalmuck others Caracathai that is to say Black Cathaia where no Animal is to be seen but wilde Beeves of an extraordinary bigness The Tartars that are used to the Desarts venture through at any time and when they come to the Rivers that afford any feeding for â—heir Cattel there they commonly pitch their Tents capacious enough to shelter Man and Beast From Lassa otherwise named Barantola situate in twenty nine degrees and six minutes from the Pole they came in four days to the Foot of the Mountain Langur This Mountain is one of the highest of the World so that when Travellers pass over its top they can scarce draw their breath because of the subtilty of the Air. The breath of several venomous Herbs render a passage this way in Summer to be very dangerous to our health This Mountain is so full of grievous Precipices and steep Rocks that neither Cart nor Horse can pass over it therefore all Passengers are forceâ— to march a foot for a moneths timeâ— till they come to Cuth the firsâ— Town of the Kingdom of Nekbal upon the Borders Although this Region is so mountainous and difficult to pass oveâ— Nature hath furnished it with several Springs of hot and of cold Water that burst out of the Concavities Here is in some places plenty of Fish for Men and Grass for Cattel I think this is the Hilly Region which Ptolomy saith that it lies under the Mount Caucasus and stretcheth it self a great way into the East Countrey and then divides into ranks of Hills the one tends to the North the other to the South He calls it Parapanismus and P. Marcus Venetus Belor Other Nations do give other names to these Hills that border upon their several Countreys From Cuth in five days journey they came to the City Nesti belonging to the Kingdom of Nekbal where the Inhabitants live in a most grievous Idolatry without the least knowledge of Christianity This place abounds in all manner of things necessary for the life of Man so that you may have thirty or forty Hens for a crown From Nesti they travelled in six days to the Metropolis of the Kingdom of Nekbal called Cadmendu lying in twenty seven degrees and five minutes from the Pole The King is a great Prince and a Heathen but no Enemy to Christianity From Cadmendu in half a day they went to Nekbal the cheif City of the Kingdom which is called also Baddan and from thence in five days they arrived at the City Hedonda belonging to the Kingdom of Maranga situate in twenty six degrees and thiry six minutes from the Pole From thence in eight days Travellers go to Mutgari the first City upon the confines of the Kingdom of Mogol From Mutgari they went to Battana a Town of the Kingdom of Bengala situate upon the River Ganges in twenty five degrees and forty four minutes From Battana in eight days they came to Benares a populous Town near the River Ganges lying in twenty four degrees and fifty minutes It is a noted place for there are the Schools of the Brachmans where all the Sciences professed in those Countreys are taught and with them the most abominable Superstitions From Benares there are eight days journey to Catampor and from thence to Agra seven more From Pekin to Agra Men go in 214 days But when they go
our Religion had been heretofore professed in this place From hence they travelled to the first City 〈◊〉 the Mogols Kingdom named Hâ—donda and from thence to Battani a City upon the River Gangeâ— and then to Benares the Academy of the Brachmans afterwards theâ— went to Agra the Royal Pallaâ— of the Mogol Father Albertus d'Oâ—ville sick and weary of his traveâ—ling died within a few days after 〈◊〉 arrival in this middle way betweeâ— China and Europe FINIS THE Most Remarkable PASSAGES OF The Life and Reign OF LEWIS XIV The Present KING IN FRANCE LONDON Printed for Samuel Lownds over against Exeter-House in the Strand 1675. The most noted Passages of the Raign of the French King THe French and Spanish Monarchies seldom live long in Peace Either the Interest of the Kingdoms or the jealousies of State or the humors of the People or the natural aversions and animosities which they have received by inheritance from their Forefathers do frequently kindle the flames of War Their Neighborhood and continual Conversation furnishes them with many occasions of distastes and disputes for both the Spaniard and the French have no compliance nor respect for one another They are naturally proud and high-minded they pretend both to the Universal Monarchy and think all the World must bow and creep to their greatness I intend not to examine in this short Tract the causes of their frequent Ruptures and Wars I shall confine my discourse within the Borders of the French Dominions where we must visit the King and Court and see what hath hapned worthy of our observation upon that famous Theater of Europe I design not so much to satisfie the Readers curiosity as to furnish him with that knowledge which he may improve to his advantage for in every capacity true and impartial History tends to our right information and direction God by his providence teacheth men as well as by his Word It concerns us not to neglect the means that he affords for our instruction And there is nothing more required in men that pretend to learning and perfection then to be acquainted with the late and present Affairs as well as with those that we have received from our Forefathers Relations It is very observable that the French and Spaniards seldom conclude Peace without a Marriage The old Fable of Mars's Adultery or Conjunction with Venus is a practice so ordinary amongst them that it needs no proof In the year One thousand six hundred and fifteen the Polititians of both Kingdoms were resolved to conclude their disputes and reunite their interests in a Marriage between Lewis the Thirteenth sirnamed The Just and Anne of Austria Infanta of Spain Both Kingdoms expected from these two hopeful Princes a numerous posterity but to the great disappointment of their Subjects and of all Europe they lived together three and twenty years without Children Success follows not always our best endeavors At last in the Moneth of September One thousand six hundred thirty and eight the Queen was brought to Bed of a brave lusty Boy who was saluted and welcomed into the World by the Parliament of Paris with the name of Dieu-donnè Given of God For they were verily perswaded that his Birth and Conception had been miraculous in regard of the indisposition of his Father To strengthen this perswasion the more by Cardinal Mazarines contrivance then the Factotum of France the King the Queen and the whole Court had been in Procession with much devotion bare-footed to the Chappel of the Virgin Mary near Paris to desire from her a Son and Heir to the Crown oâ— France Therefore the French look upon this Prince as the effect and return of their Prayers then solemnly offered up to the Blessed Virgin for within a year after the King and Queen were blessed with this hopeful Child to the greater joy of France then of some of the Blood Royal who had promised to themselves the Kingdom in case Lewis the Thirteenth did die without issue Their discontents remained long concealed in private and were not suffered to break out into a Publick War by the good order that the Cardinal gave to the Affairs of the Kingdom and by their respect for the King then alive But afterwards when they saw Lewis in his Grave the People dissatisfied and the Grandees discontented with the Italian Government they proclaimed their displeasures at the Head of an Army with the loud noise of Drums Trumpets and Cannon as we shall see by and by As soon as the Dolphin was inaugurated into his Principality and initiated into Christian Religion they gave him his Attendants and Officers according to his quality and Birth the two cheif were his Governess a Lady of a noble spirit and Hardouin de Perefixe afterwards Bishop of Rhodes and since removed to the Archbishoprick of Paris was his Governor and Tutor He is a great Polititian Wise and Learned very affable and courteous Whiles he lay in his Cradle we can find nothing worthy of our notice but as soon as he stept out of it to walk alone Providence waited upon him to put into his hands a Scepter before he could manage it For at four years of age and a few Moneths his Father Lewis sirnamed The Just departed this life having published before his Declaration dated April 21. 1643. By which the Queen was appointed Regent and Governess of the whole Kingdom the Duke of Orleans was her Lieutenant and cheif of the Council The Prince of Condé deceased the Cardinal Mazarine Monsieur Seguier Chancellor of France Monsieur Bouthillier and Monsieur Chavigny were to be of this Privy Council but the conduct of the Army then on foot was left to the Duke of Enguien who is now Prince of Condé This Declaration settled the Affairs of the Kingdom and prevented the mischeif which might have hapned in case the election of these great Officers of State had been left to the choice of such as might have designed to imbroil the Kingdom for their own private ends About a Moneth after on the fourteenth day of May 1643. the King died At that time the Spaniard was attempting to inlarge his Dominions in the Low Countreys by a War with France Don Francisco de Melo was Viceroy there at the Head of an Army before Rocroy a French Garrison which he besieged in vain For the Duke of Enguien a young General of twenty two years of age came seasonably to its relief forced the Spaniards to a retreat and obtained of them a notable victory on the nineteenth of May. All their Artillery was taken with about threescore Colours all their Bag and Baggage and six thousand prisoners The Colours were sent to Paris to be presented to the new King six days after his promotion to the Throne The Viceroy behaved himself like a great Commander he incouraged his men by his words promises and example where he perceived the greatest danger there did he hazard his person and his life but when he saw the day
CHINA AND FRANCE OR Two Treatises The one Of the present State of China As to the Government Customs and Manners of the Inhabitants thereof never yet known to us before in Europe From the observation of two Jesuites lately returned from that Countrey Written and Published by the French Kings Cosmographer and now Englished The other Containing the most remarkable Passages of the Reign and Life of the present French King Lewis the Fourteenth and of the valour of our English in his Armies London Printed by T. N. for Samuel Lowndes over against Exeter-house in the Strand 1676. The present State of CHINA ON the Thirtieth day of January 1665. I went in the company of Mr. Carlos Daty to visit Father John Grueber at his arrival from Constantinople About two years since he came out of China where he had resided full three years He began his pilgrimage at Venice where he took shipping for Smyrna from thence by Land he marched to Ormus in five moneths from thence to Macao in seven so from the South Coast he travelled to the North through the large Empire oâ— China sometimes upon Rivers anâ— commodious Channels and sometimes by Land and at last he goâ— safe to the City of Pekin In his return from thence he adventured tâ— pass and survey a Countrey whicâ— was never yet seen before by any iâ— Europe namely The unfruitful Sands of the Desarts of Tartaria which he passed over in three days and came to the Coast of an Inland Sea called Kokonor Kokonor in Taâ—tarty signifies Great Sea not much unlike to the Caspian The River Jannus that runs through China with a strange rapidity discharges it self into the Oriental Sea near the Island of Carea hath here its source This River is the deepâ—st and largest of all that Countrâ—y Afterwards this adventurous Traveller lost the sight of the Sea to â—nter further into the Land into the Province of Toktokai which is 〈◊〉 barren and wild that one of the Neighboring people can have any temptation to dispossess the antient Inhabitants Nothing is there remarkable but only some few dispersed Tents of the Tartars who lead a most miserable life The beautiful River Toktokai which is as large as Danubinus but so shallow that any Man on Horseback may ford it over in the deepest place watereth this blessed Countrey and gives unto it a name From hence our Traveller passed through the Province of Tangut which is very populous and belongs to the Kingdom of Barantola he visited in his way the City of Retink and the Kingdom of Barantola the Metropolis is called Lassa and the present King Teva He is of a very antient and noble Family of the Tartars of Tangut His ordinary residence is at Butala a lofty Castle built according to the European mode upon a high Hill having Buildings of four stories of very good and regular workmanship The Court of this Prince is numerous and his attendants are extream lavish in their apparel which is for the most part of Cloath of Gold and of embroidered Stuffs Nevertheless this Nation is generally very sluttish and unhandsome in their attire Neither Men nor Women wear lining next to their skin Their common Bed is the ground their ordinary food is raw Flesh and they are not so scrupulous to wash their hands or faces but they appear very kind and courteous to strangers Their Women have the liberty to walk about the Streets as amongst the other Tartars but their other Customs are like to those of China Their Arch-Priest or Mufty is called Lamacongiù whom they reverence as God and believe to be related to their first King but they name him the Brother of all the the Kings of the World They are perswaded that he riseth from the dead as often as he dies and that this Man hath already risen seven times The Kings and Polititians of that Countrey labor by subtil means to entertain the common people in this strange belief and the Lamacongiu himself contributes to it for he keeps his face always covered and suffers none to look upon it but such as are acquainted with the mystery The Nobility do mightily respect him some of them come to that point of adoration as to covet that which is incredible and to carry it about as a sacred relick From Barantola Father Grueber travelled to the Kingdom of Nekpal and in a moneths time passed through it The two principal Towns are Catmandir and Patan situate on the Banks of a River opposite to one another This latter is a young Prince very well accomplished he commands all the Militia of the Kingdom as General When Father Grueber was there he was at the head of a great Army marching against a Neighboring King called Varcam who made frequent inroads to spoil the Countrey The Jesuites gave this young Prince a Prospective Glass through which he caused him to look at a place where Varcam's Army lay encamped he found it so nigh that he gave order presently to make ready and prepare for the fight for he perceived not that this propinquity was but an effect of the Glass This present was acceptable to him From Nekpal our Traveller went in five days to the Kingdom of Moranga where he could see no City but only small Houses covered with Straw and little Huts one appointed for a Custom-Housse The King of Moranga pays a yearly tribute of 250000 Rixdollers and seven Elephants to the Mogol From Moranga he travelled into that part of India which is beyond the River Ganges and came to Minapor the Metropolis of that Countrey where he passed over that River which is twice as big as the Danubius From thence he went to Patan and from that City in five and twenty days to Agra the Royal City of that part of India which is on this side Ganges From thence to Laor in fourteen days This City is built upon the Banks of the River Ravi which is as large as Danubius it runs into India near Mâ—ltaia There he took Boat and was carried down the River in forty days to Tata the utmost City of Indostan the ordinary residence of the Viceroy of that Countrey his name is Laskarkan there he met with many English and Dutch Marchants From this place he sailed to Ormuz by Sea from Ormuz he went to Persia afterwards he returned back to Smyrna where he took shipping and arrived safe at Messina from thence he went to Rome where he received an express command to go back again to China For that purpose he travelled into Germany and Polonia hoping to find another way through Muscovia By the Emperors procurement he had got Pasports from the Dukes of Curland and Muscovia But when he was so far on his way as the Borders of Muscovia he understood that the King of Poland and the Tartars had made a conjuction of their Forces with an intent to attempt upon the Duke of Muscovia By this means he was diverted in his passage to Musco for
the fear of the dangers and difficulties in time of War brought him back to Vienna where he arrived at a convenient time when the Emperor was dispatching an Ambassador Count Leshley by name to Constantinople The Jesuite took this opportunity to travel thither with a resolution from thence to go forward in his intended journey But when he came to Constantinople he was mightily incommoded with a great rheume with shortness of breath and with violent pains in his stomach so that being not able to proceed on in his journey he went aboard a Ship bound for Legorne from whence he was carried to Florence where he remained about eight days In this time he was pretty well recovered of his distemper so that he could go afterwards to Venice from whence he passed through Friuli to Vienna with an intent by that way to return to Constantinople that he might travel afterwards to China according to the orders of his General This Father is about forty five years of age of a jovial temper extraordinary civil as sincere as a German his conversation is very pleasant in a word he hath so many good qualities and is so gallant a Man that though he were not a Jesuite all the World would esteem and love him Monsieur Carlos Dati had seen him the day before we had any discourse with him in the With-drawing Room of Prince Leopold where he was entered into a conversation with him which lasted not long for the Father was called away and introduced into his Highnesses presence After this first acquaintance he intreated him to give him satisfaction to some questions that he had a desire to make him concerning China which request the Father granted in an obliging manner First Mr. Dati desired to know whether the present King of China is the Son of the last Conqueror of that Kingdom Where he kept his Court Whether in China or in Tartaria The Father answered that he was but his Grandchild for the Grandfather being invited and brought in by the Rebellious Eunuchs in the year 1646. He conquered all China as Father Martinius hath written at large in his History of China He told us that the present King of that Countrey is about twelve or thirteen years of age that he resides at Pekin the cheif City of the Kingdom that his Father and Grandfather also did dwell there according to Machiavels Rule for he adviseth a Prince when he intends to keep in his hands a Countrey newly subdued to his Scepter where the Inhabitants differ from him in Language Customs and Laws to go and make there his abode This is a Policy not so subtil but that the Tartarians have very well understood and practised it We inquired next what kind of Militia they had And how the Chineses were treated by their Tartarian Kings He told us that the most part of the Soldiers of the Kingdom were Tartars unless it be the Kings Guard which is a Body of about 40000 Men armed with Muskets and Bows of Corea or Japonia for the most part That the Inhabitants were not oppressed with Taxes nor treated worse then by their former Kings for they have all kind of Liberty and Freedom of Religion The antient Laws are yet maintained in force all over the Countrey and Justice is administred by Judges that are natural Chineses only there is this alteration a Tartarian must assâ—st in every Court with a limited Authority which suffers him to alter nothing of the antient Customs and Laws of the Countrey We desired him to tell us what manner of Government they had under the King At Pekin replied the Father there are nine Judges or Courts of Judicature and so it is in all other Cities of the Kingdom where they are called by the same names and hear the same causes The first and highest Court is called Li-pú where half are Chineses and half are Tartars It judges all Causes proceeding out of other Courts of the Kingdom by way of Appeal of what nature or business soever The second is named also Li-pù but here the syllable Li is pronounced in a different manner from the first for in the former it signifies Reason but in this latter word it imports Ceremony This Court is the Forum Ecclesiasticum that judges of all differences between the Learned and decides all matters of controversie in Religion The third is stiled Pim-pù which examines the affairs of the Militia The fourth is for offenders or the Criminal Court called Nim-pù The fift is named Cho-pù appointed for the Kings Treasury as the Exchequer is amongst us The sixth is Cum-pù which hath a care of all the Kings Buildings and publick Structures and Edifices The seventh is to see to the payment of all the Kings Officers and Attendants in his Family The eighth hath an inspection over the Kings Kitchin and Table The Father had forgot the names of the two latter Courts and of the businesses examined in the other In every City these nine Courts are erected subordinate to one another for example that of one City appointed for the Militia is under the jurisdiction of the Provincial Court which is in the cheif City of the Province and from that and all others Men appeal to the Metropolis of the Kingdom for the Militia from whence they may appeal to the highest Court which is the Li-pù when it is a business of great importance From this Tribunal there can be no appeal further but to the Kings person which is never granted without the punishment of one hundred bastinadoes which every one must patiently endure before he can be admitted to the Kings presence The manner of giving them is very cruel the poor wretch is forced to lye down upon the ground upon his Belly with his middle and backside naked two men sit one against another upon his Neck and Legs with two great Indian Canes in their hands attempered before in water that they might be more pliable then they strike one after another he that sits at the Head strikes upon the Hips and the other upon the Back one after another so fast that they are forced to stop sometimes and suffer the patient to breathe for otherwise they would beat the breath out of his Body The Mandarins that is to say the Noblemen of the Countrey and the Tartars do commonly inflict this kind of punishment upon their servants for the least offence He that is forced to undergo this misery before he can come into the Kings presence proceeds in this manner He is to cast in a stone at the Kings Chamber Window then he is commanded to come in and if the King perceives that he suffers bravely the first bastinadoes in such a manner that declares his cause to be just and the greatness of his oppression he commands the Executioners to forbear and the party to relate his business If it appears then that any injustice hath been done him all that have had any hand in the judging of the matter before
case every one should refuse to die and none would be willing to wait upon the Princes Soul they force such as he took most delight in and his dearest servants to depart and follow after him I inquired next in what did the Kings Revenue cheifly consist He informed us that the Fields and Countrey did properly belong to the Peasants who out of the increase of their Fruits pay about the tenth part to the King and another part to the Mandarins that is to say to the Gentlemen that dwell in the Castles for they are the Lords of their adjacent Fields This Revenue that belongs to the Crown is very great there is another that proceeds from all the Cattle of the Kingdom out of which a tribute is gathered Besides there are great Customs upon Cattons and Rice transported and several Mines in the Province of Tunan which signifies a Southerly Cloud These Mines yield plenty of Gold Saphirs Emeralds and all manner of precious Stones that inrich the Neighboring Kingdom of Pegu. There is also an unknown quantity of Silver brought out of these Cities Quangh-ceu Canton and Nanquin which are the cheif Mart Towns of all the Kingdom We asked him if the King did often shew himself publickly in the City And how many Inhabitants may be in Pekin He told us that he was wont to cause the Soldiers of his Guard to be drawn up in Battalia and exercise once every moneth where he did commonly appear to cause them to shoot at a mark in the Meadows belonging to the City between the Walls that incompass it for it is surrounded three times about the uttermost Wall is the lowest the two others are higher the nearer they are to the middle of the Town The Ditches are deep and full of Water about the City there are many pleasant Meadows In one of them a great Statue of Wood is erected against which the King appoints his Soldiers to shoot either with Bow and Arrows or with Powder and Shot one is to hit the Hand another the Head a third the Brest If the Soldier misseth the first time he hath liberty to try the second and the third if he fails all three without touching his mark he receives a great many bastinadoes for his reward and is disbanded as unworthy of his Kings service In the whole City of Pekin there cannot be less then a Million of Inhabitants some say that there have been heretofore Nine millions But that is not credible for the City is not so extraordinary large and their Buildings are but of one story high We desired to know how they did cover their dwellings He informed us that they did cover them with Tiles the Countrey Houses have no other covering The Tiles of the Kings Pallace are of various colours of yellow and marble very pleasant and beautiful when they are looked upon at a distance When the Sun shines upon them they appear as if they were all of Gold We inquired what Religion the Chineses did profess He answered that they did profess Idolatry that they were all Idolaters in their hearts worshiping several Idols in private But iâ— we consider only their outward profession there are three differing Sects The first is of the Learned that profess to worship a superior Being named in their Language Sciax-ti These two words are engraven upon Tables of Gold hung up in their Temples unto them they offer Sacrifice by burning before them Paper gilded with Gold or Silver together with some small round Balls made with Storax and Frankincense But although they make profession of this Religion which appears more plausible then the rest it is only outwardly that they might be distinguished from the Bonzi a sort of men come out of China into India extreamly superstitious exceeding all others in Idolatry and fond Conceits at first they were in some good repute amongst the Chineses as it commonly happens when any new Sect appears that is not known The Doctrine which they published of the Transmigration of Souls which is not altogether like that of Pythagoras got them the peoples esteem and procured them the envy of the Learned So that they in time opposed the progress of this new Sect more out of displeasure against it then out of love for their antient Religion Therefore they have so well published and established the worship of their Sciax-ti that the Religion of the Bonzi is out of fashion and date and hath lost all its credit and they themselves are looked upon no better then cheats Now all over China there is no kind of people more exclaimed against and decided nor is there any Profession more ridiculous then that A man of credit scorns to exchange a word with them in publick or to be in their company unless it be in such occasions as are not to be avoided as in Funerals publick Sacrifices Processions where these Idolatrous Priests are mercenary and hired to attend The Nobility cause them to go in Procession in nuptial Solemnities at the birth of their Children and such like times Their Processions are preceded by several Instruments of Musick and attended with Banners and displayed Ensigns which they carry about their Idols whose praises they sing in Songs and Hymns and to whom they burn Paper and Frankincense The second Sect is the most numerous for it consists of the Citizens of the Nobility of the People and Peasants in a word of all manner of People These pay their Devotions to the Souls of their Ancestors unto whom they Sacrifice continually in their Temples and in their private Houses by burning Paper and Frankincense All over the Countrey this is the ordinary Sacrifice which is offered to the good and evil spirits every morning before they go out of their doors The third Sect is that of the Bonzi who are most abominably superstitious We inquired what the Chineses did believe of Mans estate after Death They believe answered he that we shall be all happy that we shall be inriched with more wisdom and delighted with more pleasure then in this life but they proceed no further to particularise how these advantages shall happen to Men. The Soul they believe to be immortal But replied Monsieur Dati if they believe that all shall be happy in another World how comes it to pass that they are not thereby encouraged to indulge themselves in all manner of Vices Nothing hinders answered the Father but the fear of present punishment Yet they have some light perswasions of Hell where the Souls of the wicked shall be tormented but they have found a way to get them out of those Tortures You must know that at Pekin and in every considerable Town there is a great Temple erected unto which above three hundred little Chappels belong every Trade hath one appertaining to it and not only the Trades but also every order and rank of Men from the Magistrate to the Beggar Now their perswasion is that the Spirit that is to vex the Soul of
assaulted Gravelin but could not recover it in a Moneth for the Garrison was strong and resolute Many brave Actions hapned in this attempt the besiegers and besieged behaved themselves very gallantly at last they capitulated upon honorable terms the Eight and twentieth of August In the interim the Dukes of Modena and Navailes took Mortera for the French This first hath always been devoted to the Crown of France The Spaniard endeavored to take from the French some little places which they recovered but it is certain that the Spaniard was the greater looser Therefore the Princes of the Empire assembled together to consult about the chusing of another Emperor at Franckfort sent to desire his Majesty of France to hearken to an Accommodation The King of Spain Philip the Fourth had caused some Overtures of Peace to be made by the Popes Mediation The French Court entertained them willingly upon condition of a match between the young King and the Infanta of Spain When the King was at Lions an Envoy came to him from Madrid about this Negotiation The Cardinal had orders to have a private Conference with him to make way for the Ambassadors de Lionne and Pimentel The first was dispatched away to Madrid the second went to Paris They dealt so effectually that all Differences were composed Articles were concluded and the great breach was made up to the satisfaction of both Princes and Kingdoms The Queen-Mother was not a little useful in this business for when the Cardinal did seem to put in some Demurs she declared That the Peace should be made without him for that she was resolved that her Son should match with one of her own Kinred The Kings indisposition had almost ruined this Affair for he fell dangerously sick but he recovered after a few days distemper Afterwards he made a progress into the farthest confines of his Kingdom for there had been some discontents and disorders about Lions Burgundy and Provence which could not be terminated without his coming When he was at Lions the Duke of Savoy came to wait upon him This Prince is so near a Neighbor to France that he is forced to keep his friendship for fear of loosing his Principality which hath been several times in great danger to be swallowed up by this great Monarch at the least distaste In the mean time the Spanish gravity was very slow in concluding the Peace that Court trifled away the time in Consultations and Meetings whilest the Spring of the next year 1659. was coming on apace Which caused the King to give order for new levies of Soldiers to appoint Generals and Commanders as if he had intended to prosecute the War as vigorously as before This made the Spaniard desire a Truce of four Moneths from the eighth of March to the third of July which was granted the King That it should continue till his Declaration to the contrary ordered In order to a Peace Mazarin went to Bayonne and Don Louïs d' Aro de Gusman came to S. Sebastians to treat more commodiously These two Plenipotentiaries at last concluded and signed the Articles the seventh of November next ensuing The Inhabitants of S. Sebastian of S. John de Luz and of the Neighboring Cities declared their satisfaction and joy by Bonefires and other publick signs Whilst the business was in debate the French Court was at Bourdeaux and Tholouse that it might be sooner consulted in all difficult Matters After the conclusion of the Treaty the French King sent a Procuration to Don Louïs d' Aro to espouse the Infanta of Spain in his name The Marriage was performed in Fontarabia in the presence of the Court of Spain the third day of June The two Kings met in the Isle of Conference scituate between both Kingdoms where the young Queen was delivered to her Husband and both Kings swore to keep and confirmed to one another the Treaty of Peace After this interview they separated the French King and Queen was received at S. John de Luz with much pomp and Joy and in their journey to Paris every good City in their way expressed their extraordinary satisfaction for the Marriage and Peace between the two Kingdoms But their Reception at Paris was one of the most glorious Ceremonies the most splendid Triumph of our Age. The young Queen was carried in an open Charriot shining with all the riches of the East and West Indies she was attended upon by the whole Court in their greatest splendor and glory The People the Clergy and the Nobility did welcome her with such expressions of joy that they are not credible In the beginning of the next year 1661. on the nineth of March the great Minister of State Cardinal Mazarin paid his last debt to Nature having by his policy raised himself and family from a low beginning to the greatest honors in France The Court was pleased to Mourn for him but they quickly cast off their sad attire when Monsieur of France resolved to marry with the Princess of England A Lady very well accomplished in Beauty and Vertue The publick ceremony was performed on the One and thirtieth of March. There hapned nothing remarkable this year till the latter end The first day of November the Dauphin of France was born to the great joy of all that Kingdom Monsieur de Montausier was appointed to be his Governor One thousand six hundred sixty and two the King made Seventy two Knights of the Order of the S. Esprit all Persons of the greatest Nobility and approved valor In the same year there hapned a difference between the Ambassadors of Spain and France about precedency in the City of London The Spaniards were prepared to receive the French so that the tumult was great and some Bloodshed on both sides The French sent their Complaints to Madrid the King gave them satisfaction and forbad all his Ambassadors for the future to appear in any publick solemnity with the Ambassadors of France for they claim a precedency in all Courts of Europe unless it be in Vienna where the House of Austria are Lords The King of Spain preferred in this occasion the Peace and Quiet of his Kingdoms to this odd Punctilio of Honor. This year was spent in Sports and publick Divertisements of the Gentry and Nobility at court till the Moneth of November Then the French Ambassador in England had Orders to demand the restitution of Dunkirk to the French for a sum of Money according to their pretended Agreement with Cromwel It was generally supposed by the wisest in France that the English would never part with a place so well fortified by their late industry purchased with the Blood of many of their bravest Men that took it and so handy and commodious to them both in Peace and War and that therefore there would be a dispute between the two Nations for the recovery of it But it hapned otherwise to the Universal Sorrow of all our people Dunkirke was surrendered and the French King made
no faster then the Carravans they are fourteen moneths in their journey This Relation I had from the Fathers of our Society who gave me this account of their Journeys These Kingdoms were never known by any in Europe before nor to the Geographers In their passage they took notice of many particulars concerning the Customs and Manners of the several Inhabitants From Pekin the Imperial City of China they travelled in two moneths to the famous Walls of that Countrey where the great City Siningfu is situate as a strong Bulwark against the Tartars invasions They took great notice of the Walls that are as strongly built as the conveniencies of that place will afford This Wall is so large that six Horsmen may ride upon it in a brest without hindering one another They are often visited by the Inhabitants of Siningfú to receive the benefit of the fresh Air which comes off from the Sandy Mountains of the Neighboring Desart and to exercise themselves in walking and delighting their eyes with the pleasant Prospects for they are so high that they discover the Countrey round about and invite the Citizens to take a view of the delightful objects that appear before them There is a very easie ascent up to this high Wall It s length from this City to the other Gate by which Men come out of the Desarts into the Town of Sucien is about eighteen days journey many out of curiosity as well as out of necessity of business undertake this journey For that purpose they get a Passport from the Governor of Siningfú and provide themselves with sufficient victuals They say that in this delightful pilgrimage they may see an infinite number of dwellings in their way in the China side which they discover as from a high Mountain but on the other side towards the great and spacious Wilderness as the Inhabitants have told them there are all manner of wilde Beasts to be seen Tigers Lions Elephants Rhinocerots Leopards Wilde Bulls Monocerots this last sort are a kind of Asses with Horns in their Fronts The beholders may from hence without fear of danger please themselves with many strange and unusual sights of furious Beasts especially from that part of the Wall that is towards the South in the most inhabited places near to Quamsi Junnam and Tibet From hence to the Yellow River in the Countrey adjoyning to the Wall the wild Beasts hunt together in Companies to seek for food in these places that are full of Brambles and Bushes When the Fathers of our Society were gone out of this prodigious Wall into the Neighboring Wilderness they found a small Stream of Water full of Fish whereof they dressed a great quantity in their Tent and kep some for another time When they were passed over the Yellow River which runs out of the Wall they entered into that vast Desart of Kalmak full of unfruitful Mountains and Fields most dreadful to behold and in three moneths they arrived at the Kingdom of Barantola Although this Wilderness be so solitary and uninhabitable it is frequented by the Tartars of Kalmuk at certain times of the year when the Grass appears upon the sides of the Rivers then they transport their Portable Houses or Tents and pitch them in such numbers together that any man would judge every company to be a City These Tartars take the liberty to march up and down and plunder all that they can meet with therefore it is necessary to be well armed against the violences of these Rogues and to travel with a good Caravan Our Fathers did often light upon several scattered companies of them as they travelled through this Wilderness The Lamae who are the Priests of these Tartars of Kalmak are distinguishable by a Red Hat a White Gown twisted behind a Red Girdle and a Yellow Tunick At their Girdle there is a Purse that is fastned to it They say that the Tartars of Kalmak are cloathed with Skins and a Yellow Cap their Women with Skins or with Green or Red Stuffs every one of them hath a Charm and Characters hung about their Necks to protect them from evil spirits and witchcraft They lodge in the innermost Room of the Tent made up with portable Staves but the outside is covered with a thick Wollen Cloath and tied with Ropes When their Lamae are at their Devotions their Bigots there present roul about a Wheel and handle it as a Scepter They have given the description of Han a deceased King of Tanguth whom they say had fourteen Sons and for his Goodness and Justice in governing his Kingdom the Inhabitants have honored him as a god in their Countrey fashion He is said to have been of a Tawny countenance he had a Beard of a Chesnut colour and Eyes like unto Dogs-eyes swelling out of his Head Tanguth is a large Kingdom of Tartaria these Father-Jesuites have travelled through a great part of it At that time in the Court of Dena King of Tanguth there was a Woman came from the Northern part of Tartary that wore twisted Hair in the manner of Ropes her Head was adorned with Sea-shells and her middle bound about with a Girdle In the same place some of the Courtiers were habited as Women only their Cloaths were of a Red colour as their Priests Into these Kingdoms of Tanguth and Barantola the Devils subtilty hath brought in a most abominable and horrid custom They chuse a strong youth stout and lusty and give him liberty at certain times of the year to kill with the weapons that he hath for that purpose Men Women and Children that he meets in his way and when they are killed in this manner they imagine that they are consecrated to their goddess Menipe that they are in a most happy estate and therefore the living render to their memories particular honors The youth is cloathed with a Garment of several colours he is furnished with a Sword with Bow Arrows and a Quiver he carries sometimes a Banner At a certain season he is transported with Fury and possessed by the Spirit unto whom he is consecrated he flies into the Streets and rambles up and down all that he meets he kills for none dare make him any resistance This youth they call in their Tongue Buth which word signifies a Slayer Whiles the Fathers were there they had a sight of him habited in that manner as he is already described In this large Kingdom of Tanguth there are many Kingdoms included first Barantola which is also called Lassa the name of the Metropolis of that Kingdom It hath a King of its own miserably addicted to Paganism He worships many Heathen Idols amongst whom Menipe is one of the cheif It s head riseth up as a Sugar-loaf in a monstrous manner Kircherus hath promised to publish a discourse more at large of this and other Idols of China Before this Idol these people perform their Sacrifices with strange gestures often repeating this exclamation O Manipe mi hum ô Manipe
mi hum that is Manipe save us Besides these foolish Idolaters bring to their Idol to ingratiate themselves with him all kind of Meats and observe many other abominable practices of the antient Heathens There is another Image of a false God to be seen in Barantola which is so strange that scarce any body will believe it therefore I shall here give a more punctual account of it The said Fathers Grueber and d'Orville affirm that whiles they waited at Barantola about two Moneths until a Caravan was ready to march they took great notice of the Peoples Manners and Customs whereof some were ridiculous and some most abominable In this Kingdom there are two Kings the one is imployed about the Government of the Kingdom and is named Dena the other is retired from all worldly affairs he lives idle in the secret Chambers of his Pallace and is adored and worshipped as a god not only by the Natives but also by all the Kings of Tartaria subject to this Kingdom for they come to him in pilgrimage They name him their eternal and heavenly Father and reverence him as the true and living God by offering to him great presents He sits in an obscure and dark place of his Pallace adorned with Gold and Silver upon a Bed raised on high under his feet rich Carpets are spred and round about him many Lamps stand lighted When strangers come to him they fall upon their faces they creep to him upon their knees and kiss his feet as the Papists do the toes of their Pope with a wonderful respect From hence we may discover the Devils subtilty in appropriating this ceremony and testimony of respect due to none on Earth but to the Pope of Rome Here Mr. Jesuite speaks as a Papist to the barbarous Superstitions of this Idolatrous Nation He hath had the malice to transfer and usurp all the other mysteries of our Faith to his own Worship As the Papists call the Pope the Father of all Spiritual Fathers so these Idolaters call this Demy-God The great Lama or The High Priest or The Lama of Lamas that is The Priest of Priests For all their Religion and Idolatry depends upon him therefore they honor him with the title of Eternal Father And that by his decease his weakness and mortality might not appear the Inferior Lamae and other Priests only are admitted to attend upon him to procure him whatsoever he stands in need of to receive his commands and deliver them as Oracles of the Divinity to the simple Pilgrims These men after his death are wont to seek another as like him in feature and stature as they can him they lift upon the Throne By this means the whole Kingdom unacquainted with the manner of the deceit firmly believes that he is risen again to them from the dead seven times and that he shall continue for ever This perswasion is so fixed in their minds blinded with the Devils illusions and deceits that there is none questions it Therefore he is worshipped by all in a signal manner Every one esteems him happy indeed who can prevail so much upon the goodness of the inferior Lamae his attendants as to get something that hath but touched his body or been taken from him which they bear about their necks For that purpose they load them with many rich gifts to obtain this their desire O abominable and filthy blindness By these Relicks they imagine themselves protected against all manner of evils This the said Fathers understood to their great grief from the Inhabitants of Barantola It is true the Fathers did not see this great Lama because none is admitted that makes profession of the Christian Religion and there are many previous Ceremonies full of Idolatry to be practiced before any man can be permitted to go near him but they saw his Picture at the Entry in of the Kings Palace unto which as much reverence is paid when but represented in Pictures and Images as if he were there in person by these Idolaters His authority is so great all over Tartaria that there is no King that offers to take upon him his royal Scepter but he sends first his Ambassadors with rich presents to the great Lama to obtain his blessing for his happy and prosperous reign They saw also at Barantola some strange Women of a Neighbor Kingdom called Coïn one old and the other young Women of an ancient Nobility fold up their Hair in a bundle and cast them behind their backs Upon their foreheads they wear a red Ribbon adorned with Pearl but on their heads a Silver Crown in the shape of a Box embellished with Turkoises and Corral They arrived next from Barantola to the Kingdom of Nekbal through a difficult way that leads over one of the highest Mountains of the World named Langur which we have already described They found all things there needful to the life of Man but only the knowledge of Christianity for the Natives are all involved in the thick mists of the Heathens ignorance The cheif Towns are Cuthi and Nesti the Custome of the Inhabitants is when any drink to Women other persons pour into the Cup their liquor called Chà or Wine three times and observe other ridiculous ceremonies There is another custome practised here most horrid and barbarous they bring out into the open field and leave upon the ground in the cold and wet without any pitty such as are desperately sick and near death and when they are dead they suffer them to be devoured by the wild Fowl by the Wolves and Dogs for they look upon this namely the stomachs of living Animals to be the most glorious Monuments that their dead Corps caâ— pretend to The Women of thâ—â— Kingdom are so ugly and deformeâ— that they seem to be Devils ratheâ— then humane Creatures For theâ— never wash themselves for Religioâ— sake but anoint themselves wiâ—â— an oyl noisome to our smells whiâ—â— causeth them to stink most intolâ—â—rably to all strangers and covâ—â— them over with such frightful â—â—pearances that one would tâ—â—â— â—hem to be Witches and Devils in â—umane shapes The King was very kind to these â—athers cheifly because they gave â—im some Prospective Glasses which â—e had never seen before and some other curious trifles which surprised â—â—m in such a manner that he reâ—â—lved to detain these Fathers with â—â—m and would not suffer them to â—epart until they had solemnly â—â—omised to return which if they â—â—d he ingaged to assign them an â—ouse which he would build for â—â—eir use to allow them a sufficient â—â—â—elihood and full liberty to proâ—â—gate their faith in any part of his â—â—ngdom When they departed out of Nekâ—l they entered into the Confines â—f the Kingdom of Maranga which orders upon that of Tebet the â—eif Town is Rodok the uttermost â—ounds of the Travels of Father â—â—andrada They found here some signs oâ— Christianity by the names of Francis Anthony and Dominicus câ— which made them conjecture thaâ—
lost and the grievous slaughter of his Soldiers he found a way out of his Trenches to retreat with the sad remains of his broken Army and left his Enemy to glory in their Success and to inrich themselves with his spoils The Count de Fontaines was then grievously incommoded with a disease nevertheless for the honor of his Master he caused himself to be carried in a Chair during the fight that he might assist his men with his Counsels and incouragement seeing he could not help them by his example He purchased to himself much renown with the loss of his life for he resolved to overcome or die Therefore in the hurry and rout of the Spaniards whom he labored to keep to their Colours he was killed by a mean hand This victory gave a check to the designs of the Court of Spain of inlarging their Borders upon France They had perswaded themselves that the French had been discouraged during the sickness of the old King and that they were not so able to make resistance in the minority of the new for commonly Factions and private Interests raign in all Courts and Armies when the Prince hath not attained to the age and ability of managing his own affairs But it hath been observed that when men intend to advantage themselves by their Neighbors weakness they find themselves disappointed at last for providence makes use of the feeblest and most contemptible Agents to defeat the proudest purposes The French General pursued the Enemy into his own Countrey and took from him several small Forts and Towns as Maubeuge Borlemont Aimmerikt Binch and Thionville c. So that they that had flattered themselves of enjoying new Conquests lost a small portion of their own Land The Castle and Town of Cirke stopped the course of the victorious General it was so well furnished with Men and Provisions and commanded by such a resolute Governor that the threats of the French Army the inconveniency of an approaching Siege and the noise of the thundering Cannon could not prevail upon him to yield to the first Summons therefore it held out against the French several days but when they had brought their Trenches to the Town Walls the Spaniard hearkned to Conditions of Surrendring it up After this the Duke of Enguien left the Army about the latter end of August to receive the Compliments of the Court at Paris for his great success in Flanders but at his first arrival the news of the death of the Mareschal de Guebriant General of the French Forces in Germany hastned him thither He had been ingaged in a Battle against the Imperialists on the seventeenth of November where he was mortally wounded for he died a few days after The fight had been desperate between the Germans and the French both lost a great many of their best men so that the French Army was not able to hold the Field any longer without the coming in of fresh and victorious Troops out of Flanders with their young General Enguien His coming restored heart and courage to the shattered Companies of the dead Mareschals Army The French who are always wont to boast much in their Successes and Victories and seldom or never to grant the loss of the day to their triumphing Enemies declare That the Mareschal beat the Germans out of the Field It is certain they seised a little after upon Rotueil a Frontier-Town where the wounded Mareschal breathed forth his last gasp This War between France and Spain had ingaged most Princes of Europe in the quarrel the Trumpets sounded round about the Borders in Savoy in Italy in Navarre Catalonia Flanders Germany Alsatia c. Armies and Armed Men did carry about Death and Destruction In Italy the French had three watchful Commanders Prince Thomas took from the Spaniard Trin the Marquess of Ville seised upon Ast and the Count of Plessis-Praslin invaded Estura small places that would deserve no mention if these Generals had but taken any more considerable Towns but for want of stronger and more noted Garrisons and braver exploits the French must needs stuff their Relations with the taking of these poor Hamlets And the Spaniard on their side were not idle they gained several places upon the French but none of any importance In Catalonia the Mareschal de la Mouthe Houdancour commanded as Viceroy for the French at the head of a small Army with which he drove the Spaniards from the Siege of Miravel and Flix he made some inroads into the Kingdom of Arragon and seised upon Almeras In the same year at Sea as well as at Land the affairs of War were carried on with much heat The Duke of Brezè was Admiral for the French in the Streights He ingaged with his Light Squadrons against the Spanish Fleet twice once before Carthagena in the Moneth of August and another time on the nineth day of September In both Rencounters the Armadoes exchanged a few Bullets looked one another in the face but they were so scared with their Enemies frightful countenances and with the apprehension of what might happen if they continued too obstinately in the fight that they were both willing to part upon equal terms although the French and Spaniard both claim the Victory as their own When the War is once kindled between these two Nations it is not one or two Campagnes can put a period to their disputes no less then a River of the Subjects Blood must be spilled to extinguish the flames And it is observable that all their Neighbors must dance at the sound of their Fiddles and be interested in their quarrels All the Nations of Europe must attend upon them and second their bloody designs War like a Tempest commonly riseth out of Spain or France then it spreds it self and involves all the Neighborhood into the same misery Both Kingdoms are so populous and considerable that when the Princes of either stir all the bordering people move they are forced in their own defence to have their Armies ready which when they are so Interest obliges them to employ them During this Winter great preparations were making for the ensuing Spring of the year 1644. As soon as it appeared the Duke of Orleans was appointed to command in Flanders where he besieged Graveling which was surrendered to him after a stout resistance of two moneths He made his entry the Twenty nineth of July This place was strong and well fortified and the Key of Flanders on that side therefore the taking of it did as much rejoyce the French as it did grieve the Spaniard After this success the Mareschal of Gassion Lieutenant General had orders to march with his Army further into the Enemies Countrey where he took and pillaged some small Castles the Abby of Vate the Forts of Rebus d'Henuin and Arq. Some few Spanish Troops that were so unhappy as to come within his reach were put to flight In the mean while the Duke of Enguien was General in Germany for that Countrey hath
his entry into it the second day of December There had been a Treaty between the old Duke of Lorraine and this young King by which the Duke made over to him all his Right Title and Interest in the Dutchy of Lorraine for some Lands in lieu of it and for the priviledge of being declared Heir to the Crown of France in case the Family of Bourbon did fail This Agreement had been made the sixth of February 1662. and confirmed in the Parliament of Paris in the Moneth of March So that the French seised upon all the Cities and Countrey of Lorraine only the strong Town of Marsal remained in the Dukes hands who seemed unwilling to deliver it Besides the young Prince Charles of Lorraine was supposed to have won the Soldiers there in Garrison therefore they would not surrender it upon Summons This affair caused the King to travel into that Countrey with a sufficient Army to reduce it to his obedience commanding that Marsal should be besieged without delay His sudden motion surprised the Duke and found him unprovided therefore he went to meet his Majesty at Metz in Lorraine to submit himself unto him The King received him very generously and made him welcome Marsal according to Agreement was put into the French hands on the third of September 1663. A little before the French Ambassador Monsieur de Crequi had been affronted and in danger of his person in the City of Rome Some of the Popes Guards shot into his Coach and wounded his servants When the Court of France heard of it the King commanded the Popes Nuncio then at Paris to depart out of the Kingdom and sent for his Generals ordering them to prepare for a War Alexander the Seventh did then sit in S. Peters supposed Chair He sent immediately upon the news of the coming of the French Army an Express to assure his Majesty that he was much dissatisfied with the deed and that he would give him all the satisfaction that he should desire The City of Pisa was pitched upon to examine and discourse of this affair where the Popes and the French Deputies concluded it the Twelfth of March 1664. to the great joy of the Roman Catholicks The Pope yielded to his own dishonor that his Nephew Flavio Chigi should wait upon the King and beg his pardon that a Monument should be erected in the very place for posterity to gaze upon with an Inscription declaring the cause of its standing there This was performed accordingly but the zeal of the French for their King and their concernment for his honor is very remarkable in this occasion The Parliament of Aix hearing of the affront given to the French Ambassador and the Kings resolution to revenge it made some levies of Men of their own accord and marched to Avignon where they drive out the Garrison they surprised Carpentras and all the Popes Territories near them This action gave the King and Court great satisfaction and facilitated an Agreement between him and the Pope for the French are not so wedded to their Superstitions as to be so much afraid of the Popes thunderbolts as in former ages It would become the wisdom of the Politicians of this Nation to shake off the Popes burdensome Fetters and establish a Patriarch of their own There wants nothing else to make their King an absolute Monarch Some of the Jansenists have attempted to perswade their Clergy to it I hope God will one day open their eyes to perceive their slavery to S. Peters counterfeit Keys and to oblige them to use that liberty unto which Providence invites them At the same time that the Cardinal was in France the Emperor desired the Kings Succors to help him against the Turks who had invaded his Dominions This motion pleased the French humor for they would be thought to be the Champions of Christianity against the Infidels The King ordered as some say about Ten thousand Men to march under the command of Monsieur de Coligny and Monsieur de la Fueillade who is now Duke of Roannez This Army joyned with the Imperialists about the Moneth of June 1665. they found out the Turks Army and encountered with them twice It is certain the French behaved themselves very gallantly in this expedition so that the Enemies were worsted and in their retreat over the River of Raab they lost about Five thousand Men that were slain Sixteen pieces of Cannon and about One hundred and fifty Colours were taken with much of their Baggage The rest of their Army fled not being able to withstand the Christians valor The Queen-Mother of France fell dangerously sick and died the Twentieth of January in that omnious year One thousand six hundred sixty six She was much lamented in France and Spain for she was an excellent Princess At this time there was War between the Crown of England and the States of Holland Their Fleets had had a brush at Sea where the brave Duke of York adventured in person against their Squadrons more in number then ours Opdam their Admiral was blown up and after a sharp fight they fled to their own Coast to carry thither the sad news of their defeat and of the loss of many Ships taken by the English When the French saw that the Hollander was likely to be worsted he pretended an obligation to defend them therefore he declared War against us not so much with an intention to assist the Hollander by Sea as to stand by with his Fleet and judge of the blows However the countenance of such a Prince dreadful to all the World because it was not known yet what mischeif he could do helped them very much The French made no attempts upon us at home unless it be upon our industrious Merchants who lost some Goods and Ships at Sea But in the West Indies their treachery and cruelty were remarkable in the Iland of S. Christophers where the English and French Plantations had lived in Peace and Amity several years they supposed our English would endeavor to drive them away after this breach between the two Nations To prevent therefore that which the others had no design to execute they fell upon them unawares and massacred their Neighbors to their eternal shame plundering all their Goods and rifling their habitations They seised next the Islands of Antego Tabago and S. Eustache Our Men resolved to revenge these outrages upon those of Guadeloupe but the Fleet that set forth for that intent was dispersed by a terrible Hurricane and some of our Ships were broken and shipwracked amongst the American Islands to the great disappointment of the English This War between England and France continued till the year 1668. the Peace was concluded at Breda for the French had no quarrel with the English but only as was pretended in defence of Holland The truth is the King did not care to have two Enemies upon his back at once he was resolved to take into his possession some Towns in Flanders