am My Lord Your very humble Servant Bassampeire This Letter is found in the Cologne Edition of Mareschal Bassampeire's Memoirs page 134. in French But to return Lewis XIII made great Joy for the Birth of this Son and all France shined with Fires of Triumph And no sooner was he Christened but he was Inaugurated into his Principality as Dauphin of France and had given him his Officers and Attendents the chief of which were his Governess a Lady of a Masculine Spirit and Hardovine de Perefexi who since obtained to be Bishop of Rhodes and after that Archbishop of Paris This Man served in the nature of his Tutor being very cunning and politick Whilst Lewis XIV lay in the Cradle as we may term it nothing of Weight or Moment can be expected But scarce was he capable of distinguishing Right from Wrong before the Sceptre of France dropp'd into his Hand For Lewis XIII declining more and more at the End of Four Years and a few Months after the Birth of this Son left the Stage of this World to sleep with his Ancestors He was the Eldest Son of Henry IV. of the House of Bourbon to whom the House of Valois had given Place by the Death of Henry III. who was slain by one Clement a Jocobine Monk with a Consecrated Dagger in his Tent when surrounded by his Army His Mother was Mary de Medicis of the House of Medici of Florence The King before his Death published a Declaration bearing Date April 12. 1643 by Virtue of which he appointed the Queen as Regent during the Minority of his Son as likewise Governess of the Kingdom and the Duke of Orleance was made her Lieutenant The Chief of the Council were the Prince of Conde and Cardinal Mazarine the latter swaying all with the Queen Monsieur Seguire Chancellor of France Monsieur Bauthlier and Monsieur Chauvigny And the Conduct of the Army on Foot was given to the Duke of Enguin afterward Prince of Conde So that Lewis XIII giving up the Ghost on the Fourteenth of May 1643. this Order prevented the Contests that would have happened in the Court about Priority However a Calm did not ensue for the King was no sooner in his Grave but Discontents that in respect to him seemed stifled broke out both People and Grandees being dissatisfied with the Cardinal's management of Affairs and too great Influence upon the Queen who Acted all by his Advice and he being an Italian proceeded to impose an Italian Government in many things which were highly disgusted So that they proclaimed their displeasures at the Head of an Army with the Noise of Trumpets Drums and the thundering of Cannon c. of which the Spaniards taking the Advantage endeavoured to enlarge their Dominions in the Low Countries where Don Francisco de Melo the Vice-Roy besieged Rocroy but his Army was beaten off by the Duke of Enguin General of the French Forces and a considerable Defeat given them which happened six days after Lews XIV came to the Throne And to flush him with this Success the Colours taken were spread before him at Paris and several Applauses of Triumph made And to say true this Victory proved a Check to Spain and gave the French Army an Opportunity to enter into their Territories and take several Towns and Fortresses as Maubeuge Borlemont Aimmerikt Binch and Thionville with others Yet the small Castle of Cirke stopped the Course of the French who before rolled on like a Torrent to the endangering of all Flanders But they had not the like Success in Germany fore there the Mareschal de Guâ—briant General of the French Forces was slain and his Army worsted with the loss of a great many brave Men which drew off Enguin from Flanders But however the War ceased not for the War with Spain engaged most of the Princes of Europe in the Quarrel The Trumpets carried the Noise of War round the Borders of Savoy as likewise in Italy Navar Catalonia Germany Alsatia Flanders and other Places Nor were the Seas free from Blood for the Duke of Breze being Admiral for the French in the Straights he twice engaged the Spanish Fleet. Nor did this War end without Rivers of Blood Burnings Plunderings and great Devastations and then the Misery it had occasioned in Europe moved the Princes to send their Plenepotentiaries to Munster to compose the Differences and agree a general Peace For the Countries were so wasted and Impoverished in many Places that more died by Famine than the Sword so that Lewis XIV began early to build his aspiring Greatness upon Ruine and Desolation which threatned the World with a turbulent Prince To this Treaty which was absolutely necessary for the preventing an universal Famine the Queen Regent of France sent the Count d' Avaux and Monsieur Servien to manage the Interest of France and the Duke of Longueville soon after followed them So that after many Debates and the Interposition of the uninterested Princes on the Twenty fourth of October 1648. a Peace was concluded and the Monarchs of Europe agreed to lay down their Arms that Plenty might be restored by Peace And this had been done sooner had not the French according to their accustomed Manner even in the midst of a Treaty when others depending upon the publick Faith thought themselves secure surprized several Places and suddenly brought their Arms into Germany Lorrain Flanders Catalonia and Italy at once as they did early in the Spring 1645. which so exasperated the Spaniards that they requited it before the Peace was concluded by setting upon the French Fleet over against Naples putting it to Flight with the loss of a great many Men and some Vessels the Admiral being killed with a Cannon Bullet and the Mareschal de Gassion a great General of France as he laid Siege to Lens was wounded and being carried to Arras there died and the Spaniards recovered many considerable Towns in Flanders and other Places as Fuens Courtray and Lens and the French Army suffered very much However the Peace held not in France for the Prince of Conde with divers others of the First Quality being grieved that Mazarine once a poor Priest and of mean Birth should play the King of France making his young Pupil Lewis XIV do what he pleased Impoverishing likewise the Kingdom by sending vast Treasures into Italy to enrich his poor Kindred insomuch that his Father who had never seen such Summs before imagined it rained Gold in France These things I say and the Insolence of that proud Priest made them take up Arms to Reform Abuses in the Government publishing their Manifesto's to justifie their Proceedings and remove the Cardinal from the Young King So that the great City of Paris declared for them resolving to defend their Interest to the utmost as did many other Towns Insomuch that the Crown was visibly at Stake nor could the Cardinal's Policy have saved it had not the Courage and prudent Conduct of the Mareschal de Turin put a stop
and promise of Diversion on the other-side to break the Truce And all this under the glorious Title of the most Christian King and Eldest Son of the Church which even barbarous Nations have detested in a time of Peace And yet such have been the Humours of this King's Flatterers that they have more and more blown up his Ambition by comparing him to the Sun as to the Star of Stars from whence all other Kings and Potentates receive their Lustre with many other Attributes as if they intended to set him up for an Idol for all the World to fall down before And of these we shall give the Reader a touch because those Parasites strive by glorious Epithets to make him appear white and shining almost if not altogether to a height of Blasphemy whom all unprejudiced and unbiassed Men behold cloathed with Oppression and Cruelty and dying his Scarlet Robes yet deeper in innocent Blood Amongst other things attributed to him passing over what is mentioned as to the placing his Name on the Jesuits College instead of that of Jesus we find these that follow which may be said to exceed what the Heathens have ascribed to those they foolishly Worshiped for Gods viz. 1. Lowis the Great born for the Glory of France and Happiness of his People in whom there lives an admirable Argument of Divine Wisdom and Fortitude that alone is sufficient to convince Atheists c. 2. Lewis the Great a King indeed since he Reigns not only over his Subjects but his own Passions being Invincible and strongly and sweetly overcoming all things who just as a God by one single Act of his Will subjects all things to his supream Power c. 3. Lewis the Great strong in Zeal for Justice a powerful and most just Rewarder of all good Actions the severe Punisher of Duels Blasphemy and all Iniquity the true Imitator of God who is so Good to repay by way of Recompence what he promises by way of Mercy 4. Lewis the Great according to God's own Heart annointed with his own Holy Oil whom in a particular manner God commanded his Holy Angels to preserve in all his Ways and whence the Existence of Angels is deduceable c. 5. Lewis the Great meditating only on eternal Things and knowing that the gaining the World with the Loss of the Soul profiteth nothing and therefore seeking of God the alone Happiness which God of his Goodness has called Man to 6. Lewis the Great Intent upon the Extirpation of publick Sin and the Encrease of Integrity of Manners and Virtue and for that Effect giving most sure Laws through the Inspiration of God the Supream Law giver by whom Kings Reign c. 7. Lewis the Great the Prodigy of the Grace of God and of so thankful a Mind towards him on that Account being Careful to Exalt that Grace has commanded all the Faculties of his Kingdom to explain that Grace conform to the Edicts of the Popes c. 8. Lewis the Great the Eldest Son of the Church who has restored to their See the Bishops that had been banifhed by Hereticks the Enemy of Heresie the Vanquisher of the Turks confiding only in God and burning in Love towards him the Example of Faith Love and Charity c. 9. Lewis the Great a Prince of Peace the Scourge of War having so far layed aside his Majesty that he might Remember the Mercies of Christ c. 10. Lewis the Great destroying all Vice and decreeing Several punishments on the Infringers of Divine and Ecclesiastical Laws In all things he hath demonstrated himself a most obedient Son of the Church 13. To declare the kinds of Sin though hard to some yet not to perfect Christians whose defender Lewis the Great justly to be named the King of Glory Strong and mighty in Battel c. We might recite a number more of this Kind which we find in print Exceeding the boasting Language of the Turks in their denunciation of War or magnifying their Emperor They have not only put them in print no doubt with the Approbation of this King who is not a little Ambitious of his own Praise but the Duke De Fevillade has erected his Effigies Crowned with Rays and Stars as the old Romans used to do their God Jupiter and in another place he is figured driving the Chariot of the Sun with this Motto I shine to All. And indeed this very much Resembles him for Europe has found him a very Phaeton if we consider the almost numberless Towns and Villages he has caused to fall in Flames At other times they call him Homo Immortalis an Immortal Man the same Character the Heathens were wont to give to those they fansied to be deified gathering the Conduct Courage Wisdom c. not only of his Ancestors but of all the Renowned Heroes that ever have been which they will have centre in him who indeed is but Mortalis Homo cum Fistula in Ano notwithstanding all the Flattery of Medals Prints Landskips Inscriptions Statues or as they have in one place made the Figures of Europe Asia Africa and America Kneeling at his feet as if he gave Laws to the whole Earth But how far he answers any of these Characters let us lay aside for a time his Actions and Behaviour towards his Neighbours and look a little into the Interiour parts of his Dominions and there see how he keeps his word and uses his own Subjects by whose Help and faithful Assistence his Ancestors mounted and himself as yet is fixed in the Throne of France King Henry IV. Grandfather to Lewis XIV had for the Many memorable and signal Services done him granted the Protestants the free Exercise of their Religion by an Edict and other Privileges that were granted them by Lewis XIII Father to this King The Edict of King Henry was given at Nantes in April 1598 under the favour of which the Protestants that had escaped the bloody Massacre in the Reign of Charles IX and the Sword of War that had continued for many Years revived as we may term it or multiplied in their Generations But when they thought themselves most secure and every one sat under their Vines of plenty this King by the Instignation of the Jesuits and his own Inclination began to thirst after their wealth as Ahab in another place had done after Naboth's Vineyard And finding whilst this Edict was in force it could not be attempted with the least Colour of Justice he published a Strict Decree to disannul it as likewise the Edict of Nismes given in July 1629. together with all the Concessions granted in them as well as other Declarations Edicts and Arrests of what nature soever forbiding any of the Reformed Religion under great Pains Penalties and Forfeitures to have any publick Worship amongst them as knowing like those who sought to destroy Daniel he could not make them disobey him in any thing Lawful The Bloody Decree being signed by the King at Fountainbleau in October
1685 it was Registered and Published by the King's Attorney General And in order to its being put in Execution and the Copies being examined and compared it was sent into the several Bailiffwicks and Courts of Justice Sherifs-Courts Districts c. there to be Registered and Charge given to the Deputies of the Attorney General to take care they were put in Execution with all Imaginary Force and Rigour and to certisie the Court thereof at Paris in the Court of Vacation on the 22d of October Lewis XIV when he did this had it seems forgotten that he had on the Word of a King Ingaged the contrary or he concluded it was no dishonour for a King to break his Word whenever he pleased Wherefore before we begin to take a view of his persecuting his best Subjects it will be convenient to Insert his own Letter in Answer to a Letter of the Duke of Brandenburg's on the behalf of the Protestants Lewis XIV's Letter to his Electoral Highness of Brandenburg Brother I Would not have discoursed the matter you writ to me about on the behalf of my Subjects of the Pretended Reformed Religion with any other Prince beside your self But to shew you the particular Esteem I have for you I shall begin with telling you That some Persons disaffected to my Service have spread Seditious Pamphlets among Strangers as if the Acts and Edicts that were passed in Favour of my said Subjects of the pretended Reformed Religion by the Kings my Predecessors and Confirmed by my self where not kept and executed in my Dominions which would have been contrary to my Intentions For I take Care that they be Maintained in all the Privileges which have been granted them and be as kindly used as my other Subjects To this I am engaged by my Royal Word and in Acknowledgment of the Proofs they have given me of their Loyalty during the late Troubles in which they took up Arms for my Service and did vigorously oppose and succesfully Overthrow the ill Designs which a Rebellious Party against my Authority Royal c. This one would think was sufficiently binding but as it appears by a Clause in the Decree bearing date long since this Letter the King never intended to be as good as his Word viz. Whereas says the Decree That it hath pleased God to grant that our Subjects enjoy a perfect Peace and we our selves being no longer taken up with the Cares of protecting them against our Enemies are now in a Condition to make good use of the said Truce viz. of Nimeguen which we have on purpose facilitated in order to the applying our selves entirely to the searching out of means which might succesfully effect and accomplish the Design of the Kings our said Grand-father and Father our Intentions ever since we came to the Crown we see at present notwithstanding a just acknowledgment of what we owe to God on that account that our endeavours have attained the end we proposed to our selves forasmuch as the greater and better part of our Subjects of the said pretended Reformed Religion have already Embraced the Catholick and since by means thereof the Execution of the Edict of Nantes and all other Ordinances in favour of the said pretended Reformed Religion become useless we judge that we can do nothing better towards the entire effacing the memory of those Troubles Confusions and Mischiefs which the Progress of that False Religion have been the cause of in our Kingdom and which have given occasion to the said Edict and to so many other Edicts and Declarations which went before it or were made since with reference thereto than by a total Revocation of the said Edict of Nantes and particular Articles and Concessions granted therein and whatsoever hath been Enacted since in Favour of that Religion c. By this 't is evident That when he passed his Word to the Elector and approved the Loyalty of his Protestant Subjects he had it in his thoughts upon his first coming to the Crown to suppress them But this is the very Genius of Lewis XIV and now let us see how gently he deals with them and what Reward they have for their Fidelity and the Expence of their Blood and Treasure to keep him in the Throne against a powerful Faction under the Prince of Conde and others who were at the point of supplanting him why those that were to see the bloody Decree Executed fell to Consulting how they should raise theâ—r Malice high enough in Cruelty against People that had never injured them whilst the Protestants like the Jews when Ahasuerus's Decree went forth mourned their hard Fate and made their Application to the King but Hester's Tears could not prevail with his Most Christian Majesty though they had power to make a Heathen relent The Intendent of the Vpper Guienne who Resided at Montauban summoned the Chief Protestants of that City to appear before him and let them know That it was the unalterable Pleasure of the King to have but one Religion in his Kingdom and that they must prepare to comply with it giving them time to assemble themselves in the Town-house where they unanimously agreed rather to die than violate their Consciences and by one deputed by the rest sent their Resolution when the following Day a Batallion of La Ferre consisting of Sixteen Companies entered the City and were followed by a greater Number The Protestants thereupon consulted each other and resolved to submit to what should befal them not caring for the Spoil of their Goods so they might preserve their Religion resolving to rely on Providence and the Richer agreed to help the Poorer to the last of their Substance But whilst they were thus consulting the Dragoons entered their Houses like the Locusts of Egypt and having eaten up all they found fell to destroying their Goods suffering their Wines and other Liquors to run about the Cellers scattering also their Corn in the Streets And when they grew even weary of this wasteful Destruction they carried Linnen Plate Puter and other things to the Market-place and offered it to Sail where the Jesuits and Popish Priests bought them for trivial Prices and encouraged the Lay-Papists to do the like So that the Protestants in four or five days lost to the value of a Million yet they might be said even to take joyfully the spoiling of their Goods But when this availed not to shake their Constancy these Missionaries of Lewis XIV very proper Fellows to convert Souls fell to Out-raging their Persons with Cruelties and Barbarities worse than Death One Bervois they dragged to the Guards and there for a whole Night the Soldiers continued in turns to kick and buffet him Monsieur Solignack's Hand they bound to a Spit and forced him to turn it till by the Excessive Fire they made he himself was near Roasted to Death And to shew their farther Malice made a Stable of his Dining-room where the Furniture was worth Ten thousand Livres which they afterward destroyed
Persons and Libertines the Veneration which people ought to have for the Power of the Church than the Ill use which it's Ministers may make of it the King 's said Attorney General declares that he is Appealing as indeed he appeals by the present Act from the Abusive use that is made of it in the said Bull and Ordinance not to our Holy Father Pope Innocent XI so as has been practised by some of his Predecessors When that they had the True Ideas of their Power that their years allow them to act of themselves there might be hopes that in time they might be brought to know the Justice and Truth of the Complaints that were brought before them And that neither the preventions in favour of their Country or the Partialities of those they honour'd with their trust did prevail over the obligations which the Quality of Common Father of all Christians does Impose Protesting to carry on this his said Appeal upon this grievance and upon others which he reserves to represent to the first General Council that shall be held as the Tribunal truly Sovereign and Infallible of the Church to which it's Visible Head must Submit as well as it 's other Members and therein to further amongst other things a Regulation that shall prevent the Imploying so Holy an Authority in uses so far from those for which it was consided in the Church in the Person of Sr Peter This may make the Pope be mindful that God having separated the two Powers of the Priesthood and of the Empire the Pope cannot make use of the Authority of the First for the Rights that depend on the Second that is according to Temporal Laws he ought to possess those Large Territories which his Predecessors have received from the Liberality of Temporal Princes and particularly from that of our King 's And in short he would consider upon a Truth which a Great Archbishop in France wrote to one of his Predecessors that a Prelate who Excommunicates a Christian contrary to the Rules and for Rights of a Kingdom of the Earth may in such an occasion lose the Power of binding and unbinding which his Character gives him but he cannot deprive of Eternal Life him to whom he does this Injustice if his Sins do not render him unworthy of the Mercy of God This Act was signed on the 22d of January 1688. We hope the Reader will pardon us the tediousness of this Matter when by it he may perceive how little Zealous Lewis XIV is for the Church of Rome when he thus violently affronts his Father the Pope its Visible Head only about a place of shelter for Thieves Murtherers and such like Villains when at the same time he will not allow his pious Subjects of the Reformed Religion whose Loyalty himself has owned and whose Estates have been always ready to furnish his Wars to have any shelter or aboad in his large Dominions though they have all along appeared the very sinews of his Kingdom and held with a strong Hand and open Purses the Crown he wears on his Head However the Pope would not yield to Revoke the Bull but the Franchises remained Null the Pope publickly declaring Lewis XIV the apparent Enemy of Christendom and the only Person that influenced the Turks to break the Truce and with an Inundation of Barbarians to Invade the Empire We have several times had Advice That the Ambassador of France has been Abused in the Divan at Constantinople being not only denied the Sofra but beaten by the Command of the Grand Vizier for throwing up his Cushion that chanced to fall upon the said Vizier as he was going out And although himself has placed and held his Stool upon the Sofra it has been removed nay he has had of late an Ambassador Imprisoned there whose Liberty was not gained without 100 Purses of Money And whilst all Europe was wondering what Measures this Great Monarch would take to revenge the Affront alas the Business was tamely clapped up the Ambassador was recalled and another sent in his stead and as good Friends as ever though the Kingdom of France at the same time Reaps no extraordinary Benefit in the Turks Dominion But those that have more narrowly pried into this Affair give their Opinion That these Affronts were agreed on to cast a Mist before the Eyes of the Christian Princes so that they might not see the underhand-dealings that were carried on between the Most Christian and Mahomitan Turk For this way of misusing the Ambassador was indeed looked upon by most as tending to a Breach and a Rupture was daily expected But it seems the Most Christian King delights most in shedding Christian Blood and his Zeal for Religion is manifested in Burning and Blowing up Churches of all Christian Persuasions as well those of the Roman Catholicks as the Protestants Let us look now a little back and we shall find Count Teckely in Hungary destroying with Fire and Sword raising Troops with French Gold and though a Protestant secretly encouraged to Invade the Empire by the French Emissaries with Promise of greater Assistance But proving too weak of himself to oppose the Armies that were drawn that way the Turks broke the Truce at the Instigation of France as will more largely appear when we come to insert the Emperor's Declaration of War with France And under that Advantage the Imperial Troops being drawn off Lewis XIV very Piously Besieged and took the City of Strasburg a Free Imperial Town when hardly any Body expected any Hostility His pretence was to restore the Bishop which that Protestant City refused to admit with his Popish Trnmpery The Articles of Surrender were very advantageous to the Citizens as a promise of their Religion Liberties and any thing they desired But the French gaining Possession soon barred them of a great part delivering many over to the Mercy of the enraged Bishop who never was any Favourer of the Protestants and likewise restored Popery building a Cittadel or Castle for the better curbing the Citizens many of whom finding themselves so hardly dealt with at first and fearing worse secretly withdrew with what Substance they could to other Cities remote whereupon the Effects they left were seized a strict Charge was given to have an Eye upon the Inhabitants and such as they suspected going off were Imprisoned and all the small Towns and Villages were taken in as Dependences and constrained to pay great Contributions and such as could not or refused were threatned with Military Execution A great Army also of the King 's lay hovering on the West Frontiers of the Empire whilst Cara Mustapha the Grand Vizier was coming down on the East like a Deluge with about Two hundred thousand Turks and Tartars who burnt and destroyed all before them For by this time Mahomet IV. had proclaimed War against the Emperor and detained the Count de Caprara his Ambassador All Princes of the Empire upon the sudden Allarm were in doubt and suspence
to the Progress of their Arms whereby he became a great Instrument of keeping Lewis the Great in his Throne who else had by this time been Little and Insignificant But in what manner he requited him the Sequel will demonstrate The Prince of Conde after much Blood-shed in an intestine War retreated into Flanders with divers of his Party who would not leave him and there was set at the Head of the Spanish Forces Whereupon Hostilities ensued and the Spaniards recovered a great many of the Towns that had been taken from them So that where Force could not prevail Insinuation and Flattery took place and at last the Prince was gained upon to return Home as did the Dukes of Conti and Longueville being highly Caressed and a Pardon was published to all that had been in the Civil War and Lewis who hitherto had acted nothing memorable in his own Person being arrived at the Thirteenth Year of his Age Anno 1651 he was declared to be of sufficient Years to take upon him the Government and to act in Person which Declaration was approved by the Parliament of Paris and Proclaimed throughout the Kingdom Yet the War continued with Spain and many Battels were fought and Towns lost and won things being carried on with various Success So that the King that he might say he had been on Horse-back got up at the Head of his Troops to shew himself to the People which did indeed give a little hopes to those that were ready to revolt that things might go better than they had done But how they were mistaken will appear in its proper place In the Year 1654 great Preparations were made to Crown Lewis King of France and Navar and on the Fourth of June the Court arrived at Rhemes and was received by about Two thousand of the Citizens on Horseback about a League from that place to which was made a Guard of about Five thousand of the Inhabitants in Arms and the Suburbs were crouded with the Soldiery At the Entry were divers Triumphal Arches beautified with golded Lilies and many flattering Devices the Streets being hung with Tapestry and other Ornaments And upon his approach the Cannons were thundred off and volleys of small Shot discharged and the Aldermen of the City taking him for some petty Deity fell on their Knees and in that posture presented him the Silver Keys of the Town And Cardinal Mazarine being at the Church of Nostrodame with the Clergy the King alighted there The Bishop of Soissons officiated in the stead of the Archbishop of Rhemes who was a little before dead the Bishop of Caesaria being his Coadjutor The Bishops of Noyon and Beauvais attended in their Pontificals the first making an Oration in which he gave the King many flattering Epithets scarce due to mortal Man However knowing that Air of Vanity possessed his Mind that makes him value himself much upon his own Praises nothing was omitted that a Court-parasite could industriously produce Then the Archdeacon did the like and the Deacon gave him a Missal to kiss who kneeled down upon two Velvet Cushions placed on a Foot-cloath under a Canopy of State and from thence he went unto the Choire to assist at the Te Deum and the Vespers were performed in Musick The Vespers over he went to the Archbishop's Palace which was prepared to receive him and the next day the Coronation was Solemnized with great Pomp the Queen-Mother of England and the Dukes of York and Gloucester being present And there he was annointed with the Holy Oil which the Priest makes the ignorant People believe was miraculously sent from Heaven on purpose to annoint their Kings that they may be the more Dreaded and Reverenced And now this spruce young Monsieur being on the Throne began to make some Figure in the World though he still acted by others Heads and Advice And to give the World a proof of French Fidelity he clapp'd up a Peace contrary to all Mens Expectation with Oliver Cromwell the English Protector at the time when King Charles II. with his two Brothers were at the French Court and had been promised not only Protection but also aid to regain the usurped Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland c. Nor was this all but he proceeded more treacherously with his near Kinsmen for in the Treaty amongst other things there was an Article to Banish them France and its Territories Of which King Charles having private Notice and finding it fruitless to complain where the Royal engagement was so little regarded to avoid a ceremonious Expulsion with generous disdain he turned his Back upon that ungrateful Court and with his faithful Followers as Prince Rupert and other Nobles he retired into Germany and was there received with all imaginable Joy and found amongst Strangers that Reception without any promise or word given which his Cousin of France had so generously promised and afterward so basely denied But his Brothers the Dukes of York and Gloucester stayed behind the first having a Command in the Army under Mareschâ—l de Turin against the Spaniards But that weighed nothing for the League being made he was ordered to be Packing Nay it went so far that a Message was sent to their Mother though Daughter to Henry the Great of France to be gone but she sent Word That she knew her Right to be in France if the King knew not what belonged to his Dignity and that a Daughter of Henry IV. from whom he was descended and held the Crown was not so easily expelled from her Native Country This resolute Answer of the Queen's made Lewis XIV dissemble the Matter and her stay was winked at though not approved Here you may see French Faith to distressed Princes who though never so near Ally'd to that King could obtain Refuge no longer than his Interest moved him to break his Promises And this early beginning has been very much improved as will appear in the Series of this History The League Offensive and Defensive being made with England against Spain Six thousand Men were sent into Flanders who beat the Spaniard and took Dunkirk whilst the French in a manner stood still and looked on For as an Historian of their own truly has it Though France abound with Men it is wont to make use of the Valour of its Neighbours in all Wars against Strangers For it hath continues he been found by Experience That the French are only for the first Onset but cannot abide nor weather so many Discouragements as the English Scots and Switzers can in War Besides their Foot are not to be compared to Strangers therefore they may ascribe their most difficult Conquests to their Money and the Valour of the English Scotch Irish and Switzers According to the Treaty Dunkirk was secured by the English For the crafty Protector not being ignorant of the Falshood of the French Court had given secret Orders to Lockhart who Commanded in Chief immediately upon surrender to enter it and Post his
Men there and even to dispute it with the French if it was not quietly put into their Hands However though Mazarine and his Pupil had a great Mind to this strong and important Place yet at that time they were forced to let it slip through their Fingers as well knowing the Protector had a powerful Army on Foot in England But some time after they found means to Charm it from us with French Gold to the great endamaging of our Shipping which Trade on that Coast In the Year 1656. the French relying upon their own Strength at the remarkable Siege of Valenciennes received a great Overthrow But the English had better Success for whilst the French stood looking on and concluded it utterly impossible Sir Thomas Morgan who Commanded the English Forces Stormed Mardike recovering the Top of the Walls almost before they were expected passing through showers of Bullets and Fire to the Astonishment both of the French and the Besieged and possessed themselves of that strong Fortress and after that they saved it from a Surprize attempted by the Spaniards in the dead of the Night And indeed most of the Towns that were taken during this War may be justly ascribed to the English Valour which Valour peradventure Lewis XIV may one day Experience in the Heart of France as several of his Predecessors have done The Spaniards grown weary of this War the usual way of Accommodation was proposed viz. a Match between the Spanish Infanta and the French King This Match was greatly opposed by Mazarine who concluded if a Peace ensued and the King gave himself up to the Embraces of a Young Wife his Authority would be lessened But the Queen-Mother declared resolutely for it saying That whether he would or no it should be done for that her Son should marry one of her Kinswomen But this had like to have broken off by the Sickness of Lewis which every one concluded would terminate in his Death Whereupon Cardinal Mazarine knowing the many Villainies he had committed in France and the Mischief done by his Evil Council was about to pack up his Awls and trudge for Italy fearing if the King should die he should fall a Sacrifice to the Fury of the Rabble And thereupon he sent a Gentleman to the Mareschal de Turin to know if he might have a safe Retreat in the Army till he could otherways shift for himself But that Protestant General returned him so cold an Answer that he was put out of all Hopes However whilst he was studying what to do the King began to recover and accordingly escaped that Death that threatned him to be the cause of the Death and Ruine of more than a Million of People The King being Recovered Mazarine was sent to Bayon and Don Louis d' Ardo de Gusman came to Saint Sebastians the more commodiously to treat about the Peace being constituted for that end Plenepotentiaries And accordingly it was concluded on sundry Articles to the great Joy of the Frontier-Towns who by Burning Plundering Quartering Soldiers and Contributions were reduced to extream Misery And Lewis sent a Procurator to Don Louis d'Ardo in his Name to Espouse the Infanta and the Marriage was consummated at Fonterabia in the presence of the Court of Spain and the two Kings met in the Isle of Conference situate between both Kingdoms where Mary of Spain was delivered to Lewis of France as his Wife and both Kings solemnly swore to keep and confirm to one another the Treaty of Peace and the Young Queen entered Paris in an open Chariot shining with the Treasure of both the Indias But Card. Mazarine for Grief to see his Purpose crossed as some gave out fell sick and died on the Nineteenth of March 1661. to the Joy of all France to whom he had a long time been a Scourge and instilled that Spirit of Cruelty into Lewis XIV that has since been manifested to the World in Characters of Blood This Cardinal had his first Rise under Richelieu the great â—ardinal of France and from a mean Birth raised himself and his Family to the greatest Dignity France could afford a Subject He was born an Itaelian and by his cunning bore himself up in the Favour of this King and his Father in spight of all the mighty Opponents he met withal For beside the Prince of Conde Duke of Conti and most of the Nobles he stood the Envy of the People in general whom he had sorely vexed by Taxes and Oppressions The Court went into Mourning for him but continued it not long for an occasion of Joy soon after made it vanish The Duke of Orleance falling in Love with the beautiful Daughter of Charles I. of England the Lady Henrietta at the publick Ceremory of that illustrious Marriage the Mourning went off Thus far we have traced this Monarch as we may term it in his Leading-strings For the Cardinal whilst he lived had the absolute Rule of his Mind whatever share he had in his Body and from thence we may hitherto conclude him an Engine that moved by the Dictates of that covetous and ambitious Prelate but for the future we must consider him moving more directly in his own Sphere It is observed of Nero by Suetonius and others That the beginning of his Reign was tolerable and not comparable to those Cruel and Irregular practices that followed and left a Lasting stain upon him to all Posterity Notwithstanding the terrible Name Lewis XIV supposed to have gained in the year 1662 his Ambassador contending with the Spanish Ambassador for Precedency at the Reception of another Ambassador near the Tower was there worsted had several of his Horses and some of his Attendence killed and wounded For the King of England's Council not undertaking to determine in this Matter they were left to dispute it and a Proclamation was put out forbidding any English to meddle in this Matter upon great Penalties so that the Ambassador of Lewis the Great appear'd but very Little being forced to sneak to his Lodging by all the by-Ways he could find though they pretend to claim Precedency of all the Ambassadors of Europe unless at the Court of Vienna where the Lords of Austria bear Rule Yet this made Monsieur to storm and bluster at a strange rate insomuch that the King of Spain being of a quiet disposition and not desirous to involve himself in another War gave him such satisfaction as contented him upon his sending complaints to Madrid preferring the Quiet of his Kingdoms before a Punctilio of Honour Which so puffed up the Frenchman that he had a great Mind to be Quarrelling with England and not well knowing how to begin he pitched upon a peremptory demand of Dunkirk that was then in the Hands of King Charles II. This Demand was looked upon by the French themselves as so Extravagant that they could not imagine the English would hearken to the delivery of a place gained with the loss of the Life 's of so many brave Men and
their God After a long Caressing of this Mistress by whom he had some Children and is said in a great Immergency to play the Man-Midwife to one of them himself and Entertaining her with all the Glory and Gallantry of his Kingdom he grew weary of those Beauties-himself had sullied and searched for those that were fresher Whereupon he cast his Eyes upon Madam Montespan who charmed his Affections a very considerable time which so vexed the former to see her self outed that she went into a Nunnery and there turned Penitent leaving the King to take his full swinge with Montespan who made her Advantage by preferring all her Kindred to places of Honour and Trust Her Brother who would otherways have never deserved it was made Duke and Peer General of the Galleys and a Mareschal of France These Qualifications rendered him of the greatest Quality for a Subject in the Kingdom which caused a pretty Retort when one was comparing this Vivone with Feillade viz. that the last was made Mareschal by the Sword and the first by the Scabbard Yet many were of Opinion that the Kings passion was not so great for Montespan as he pretended for if fame be true one Madam Du Lude a Nun of Lorrain came in with her for a share though privately to save the Credit of that Order which occasioned these following Verses La Valliere of common Race Montespan of Noble was And Du Lude a pious Nun All for Mistresses are Known If you 'd know the Reason why These three his Favourites he creates Our great Prince has a mind to try To Vnite the three Estates But his mind continued wavering for not long after Montespan was laid aside and Madamosel de Fontagne was taken into Favour but she lived not long afterward as being supposed to have received a Dose from her she had rivalled and the Prince of Marsilack who brought her to the King was for finding the Game so well made Chief Huntsman of France To her succeeded Madam de Maintenon who joining with Montespan as a Testimony of their Repentance built the Abby of St. Cry by some called the Seraglio to train up young Women Which occasioned this Epigram Two of fair Venus's Votaries Their Souls with holy Zeal inflam'd Have founded two new Nunneries With the Revenues by their Pleasure gain'd But without Miracle they seem To be in a pitious taking Since that that founded and supporteth them Is now in a continual shaking But to cut off this Digression if it may properly be so termed as to what is consistent to History of this Nature we find that Lewis XIV was not satisfied with having Dunkirk delivered to him but dreading the Growing Greatness of his Protestant Neighbours viz. England and the Vnited Provinces by some extraordinary Contrivance they were set together by the Ears and engaged in an Unhappy War occasioning much bloodshed on either Part whilst France was a looker on But when that Court perceived the Dutch inclined to a Peace as being wearied with an Expensive and hazardous War then and not till then the French put in to assist the States to keep the flame still blazing that so the two most powerful Nations at Sea under Heaven might weaken each other and thereby lay themselves more open and exposed to the Projects of France which has but too apparently been manifested For although in the Year 1666. the French Fleet was abroad yet it was only in a bravado for we could never learn from any hand That that Fleet though the Ships carried many terrible Names as Tempest Lightning Thunder c. effected any thing but rather stood as a looker on whilst the English and Dutch battered each other though at the same time they might have come up the Wind being favourable Nor were the English better served when they were on their part as will hereafter appear So that if there was not as let those believe who are very credulous if they please a design in it for the weakning the Protestant Interest at least we may conclude That this produced nothing as to the Reputation of making War for the Glory of the Arms of Lewis XIV However after several Fights and much Blood-shed though little or none of the French in these Actions upon more deliberate Considerations a Peace was concluded in 1668. Yet in this Interim there are other Remarks than what we have mentioned The French during this Naval War had not the Courage to make any descent upon England or any of the Three Kingdoms but upon our People in the West-Indias their Treachery appeared in a Crimson dye especially in the Island of St. Christophers where the French and English as planters of that Island had lived together in neighbourly Love as every one thought for many years reciprocally and with much satisfaction enjoying the Fruits of their Labour But upon Notice of this War and the iustigation of French Popish Cruelty they fell unawares upon the English and Massacred them without mercy or so much as giving them time to think of a future State seizing upon their Goods and Possessions to the eternal Infamy of the French Nation They likewise seized upon the Islands of Antigo Saint Eustach and Tobago Yet all this while the Court of France pretended they had no Quarrel against the English but what they did was in the defence of their Allies pretending a great Kindness for the Dutch who since have experienced it to their no small Detriment which however may in time be repay'd How the Port at Constantinople and the French Court have hitherto taken equal Measures never observing any Obligation longer than it tended to their Interest we leave the World to judge This was not all the design of Lewis XIV for by embroiling England and Holland he had leisure notwithstanding the Peace solemnly sworn to and concluded with the King of Spain to enter Flanders under Pretence of some Particulars not performed relating to the Contract of Marriage with the Infanta Nor could his Queen persuade him to reason but in May 1667. he entered Flanders with an Army of 30000. Horse and Foot upon which unexpected surprize many of the Garrisons drew off as Armantiers Labassee Conde Bergues S. Guilhain and Furves of which the Mareschal d' Aumont took Possession And the better to secure the Frontiers Lewis commanded Charleroy to be Rebuilt and Fortified Many other Towns of Note were taken being rather got by surprize than by true Valour on the part of the Franch For many of them in this security were unprovided of many things that might have contributed to a longer Defence or secured them from falling into the Hands of the Invader Lille was the only Place that made a resolute Defence for in this place was a Governour of great Repute under whose Command was a Garrison of 4000 Foot and 800 Horse Nor was it gained but by a bloody Siege when the Governour found all hopes of expecting Relief vain through the want of timely Notice
much already declared in effect by France against England that it is not so properly an Act of Choice as an inevitable Necessity in our own Defence I shall only tell you That as I have ventured my Life and all that is dear to me to rescue this Nation from what it suffered I am still ready to do the same in order to preserve it from all its Enemies And as I do not doubt of such an Assistance from you as shall be suitable to your Advice to me to declare War against a Powerful Enemy so you may relie upon me that no part of that which you shall give for the carrying it on with Suucceâ—â— shall be diverted by me to any other Use The Confederate Armies by this Time began to draw together which made Lewis XIV hasten his Troops and form Two Armies under the Commands of the Duke of Duras and Mareschal d' Humiers Whereupon the Governour-General of the Spanish Netherlands caused a Declaration of War to be published against France wherein after he had set forth the Cruelty and Injustice of the French King as the others had done he forbids all Commerce c. Upon which Lewis XIV caused his Declaration of War to be proclaimed against Spain at Marseilles viz on the 29th of April and proceeded to fill all the Towns of the Palatinate that were not reduced to Ashes with his Soldiers as foreseeing the Storm that threatned from so many Quarters of Europe and that such Protestants as were willing to avoid his cruel Usage and Extortions might have Encouragement to leave the Kingdom of France their Majesties of Great Britain put forth a Proclamation bearing Date the 25th of April for the Encouraging the French Protestants to Transport themselves into this Kingdom another Prohibiting the Importation of all Sorts of Manufactures and Commodities whatsoever of the Growth Production or Manufacture of France And on the 7th of May a Declaration of War was Signed and afterwards Published setting forth The perfidious Dealing of the French King as well in Europe as in Africa against the Subjects of England c. And whilst these things were doing News came from the Coast of Ireland that the English Admiral with a Squadron of the King of Britains Ships had engaged and worsted Forty four Sail of the French being double the number of the English as they were attempting to land Men and Arms in that Kingdom And to shew the French a farther Proof of our Naval Courage the None-Such a small Fourth Rate Frigat oâ— 36 Guns meeting off of Guernsey with two French Men of War one of 30 Guns and 120 Men the other of 16 Guns 6 Pettereroes and 120 Men who were bound with about Twenty small Merchant Ships under their Convoy to Newfoundland the English Man of War engaged them but in the beginning of the Fight the Captain was killed with the Master and Cook and the Carpenter wounded upon which there being no Lieutenant on Board the Boatswain took upon him the Command of the Ship and continued the Fight with that Bravery that after a sharp Engagement of three Hours he took both the French Men of War and brought them into Plymouth During these Transactions Rhinburgh that had been Garrisoned with French Troops by Cardinal Furstemburgh surrendered to the Confederates and Keyserwaert was blocked up The French continued to fortifie Mentz pulling dowâ— Streets of Building for their better conveniencâ— on that Occasion Yet so far either Passion oâ— Fear had wrought in Lewis XIV that he was taken on the 30th of May with an extraordinary Fiâ— of an Ague which held him for nine or ten Hours which made him fly to his old Refuge of taking the Jesuits Powder as well as their Counsels thâ— latter having ever been fatal to Christendom And as if the French King had wanted Torcheâ— or Bonefires for Joy of his Recovery his Troops not satisfied with the Execrable Barbarities they had committed in the Palatinate and other Places proceeded in the later end of May to lay in Asheâ— the famous Towns of Oppenheim Worms and Spire in the latter whereof the Imperial-Chamber had a long time been kept not leaving so much as a House standing But a party of the Garrison of Bonne attempting to do the like to the Village of Hauff the Country People took Arms and falling upon them killed about sixty of their Number putting the rest to flight and likewise several Parties of French Foragers and such as were sent to make Incursions into the Countries that neighboured on their Garrison were frequently defeated And now the Most Christian King finding himself hard beset sought to cajole the Algerine Pirates to make a Peace with him and fall upon the Confederates Merchants at Sea although they had a little before so sensibly affronted him as to shoot off his Consul c. and notwithstanding any Proposal they would not hearken to any Treaty unless he would redeem the French Captives to the Number of 800 which he had demanded without any Ransom And when his Agent perceived this would not take he proposed a Truce but that likewise was rejected by the Algerines On the Ninth of June the Marquess Choiseul passed the Rhine at Hunningen with 4000 French Horse and Dragoons and entered the Country of Durlach declaring That he came only to Forage promising not to molest any that should remain quiet in their Houses which the Country People relying on thought they had nothing to fear but they quickly found the little regard the French have to their Word For no sooner had they posted themselves in the Places they designed but the Country was given up to the Discretion of the Soldiers who committed the most outrageous Insolencies and Violencies that can be imagined So that many of the poor People being plundered of all they had and their persons abused were driven before the Soldiers like Sheep or Oxon towards Friburgh and Brisac A few indeed escaped to the Black Forrest where several of them perished for Want whilst the French were cutting up their Corn and destroying the whole Country During these Proceedings Lewis XIV caused his Declaration of War against England and Scotland to be published at Paris viz. on the 28th of June commanding his Fleet to put again to Sea proposing great things to his Advantage But as yet his Expections have been frustrated The Town of Keyserwaert being formally Besieged and closely pressed by the Brandenburgh Forces the Duke being before it in person on the 25th of June Monsieur Marcognet the Governour Capitulated upon Notice the German Soldiers in Garrison were inclined to make Conditions for themselves without him and a Parly being beat the Capitulation was Signed the next Morning by which it was agreed That one of the Gates should be immediately delivered up that the French Officers and Soldiers should march out the Day following with Arms and Baggage c. and be Conducted to Luxemburgh but that the Germans should be at Liberty to go
where they pleased but not any more enter into the French Service Whereupon most of them entered into the Duke's Pay and a great Number of French Soldiers deserted their Army notwithstanding the severe Discipline to prevent it by hanging up some Hundreds who had been taken going off Nor did their Army in Flanders escape the angry Skies for a violent Tempest happening accompanied with extraordinary Rains and Floods divers Persons perished a great deal of Baggage was spoiled and carried away in by the Rapidity of the Torrent and the Mareschal d' Humiers who commanded in Chief hardly escaped drowning And although the French King laboured by many secret Intrigues and Contrivances to widen or keep on foot the Differences between the King of Denmark and Duke of Holstein yet by the Mediation of the Emperor and Electors of Saxony and Bandenburgh an Accomodation was made and Signed on the Thirtieth of June upon sundry Articles Upon this News upon what Account we are yet to learn the Duke De la Force and the Marquess Vivaus were clapped up in the Bastile at Paris and their Papers secured The Duchess De la Force was likewise sent Prisoner to the Castle of Anger 's And about the same time a French Man of War of Thirty six Guns and Two hundred Men was taken by two Dutch Ships and carried into Amsterdam And the French and Irish Forces Besieging London-Derry were beaten off with great Slaughter and amongst others many Principal Officers were killed which obliged them upon the City's being Relieved with Provision to raise the Siege and retire in some Confusion The French Forces likewise in Catalonia were beaten by the Spaniards and upon the Approach of the Imperial Army quitted all or most of the Places they yet held in the Palatinate And now the Storm of War threatning Montz and Bonne the only strong Places the Frence held in those Parts the Marquess Vxelles Governour of the former sent to the Court of France to demand speedy Aid but had no other Answer returned him as to that particular than that the King had sent the Arrear-Ban towards the Coasts and that by reason of some Disappointments he must not expect very Powerful Succours for that there were every where too great Occasion for their Troops the Enemy having never had such numerous Forces in the Field as at present For at that time the Army Commanded by the Duke of Lorrain was composed of 20000 Imperial Foot and 8000 Horse 10000 Saxons 8000 Lunenburghers and 6000 of Hesse-Cassel The Bavarian Army with the Troops of Suabia 14000 with which were joined 8000 Imperialists under Caprapra The Forces of the Duke of Brandenburgh amounted to 32000 those of Munster 6000 which with the 3000 Hollanders that were in that Country and the 8000 afterward sent by the Duke of Hanouer amounted to 123000 Men not accounting the Dutch and Spanish Armies in the Netherlands These extraordinary Forces made Lewis the Great begin to look about him more than ever labouring with the King of Denmark to hold a Neutrality to which he found him no ways inclinable And the Pope's Nuntio being called Home to prevent the Clergy flocking to him in his way an Officer contrary to Custom was sent to him out of the Kingdom and published an Ordinance commanding all the Subjects of France whose Fathers Children or Brothers are in the Service of his Enemies and the Women whose Husbands are in that Service to depart the Kingdom within the space of a Month which was in many Places put rigorously in Execution The French Troops under the Command of the Duke Duras making an Attempt upon Heidelburgh the Regiment of Wertemburgh got opportunely into the Town and beat them off with the loss of Three or Four hundred of their Men. And in Flanders about Forty English Horse meeting with a greater Number of French killed Fifteen and took Eight Prisoners These bad Successes one upon the Neck of another made the French King cause his Orders to be published Commanding the Inhabitants of Sedan Mezieres and other Places not to Sow their Ground with Corn this Year on pain of Death promising they should be furnished other ways It would be too tedious to mention all the Skirmishes that passed this Campaign with various Success though mostly to the Advantage of the Confederates Wherefore passing many over we come to Instance that great Engagement between the French under the Command of the Mareschal d' Humiers and the English and Dutch under the Command of Prince Waldeck c. The French Troops Attacking the Village Forge where Eight hundred Men were Posted under the Command of Collonel Hodges and Lieutenant-Collonel Goes they bravely defended it till sending one Party after another on both sides the two Armies in a manner Engaged where the English more especially behaved themselves with such Bravery and Resolution that after a long and obstinate Fight the French gave Ground and retired in some Confusion leaving behind them their Cannon and Ammunition and about Three thousand Killed and Wounded And the Six Battalions of Guards were for the most part cut off which Loss may be best guessed at by the following Account Monsieur de Gelais Mareschal of the Camp was killed with a Cannon-Shot as likewise were Monsieur de Metz Tirecelin Commissary of the Artillery Killed of the Guards the Count d' Artuagan four Captains five Lieutenants a Gentleman-Voluntier wounded Three Captains eleven Lieutenants the Aid-Major and two Voluntiers of the Regiment of Campaign the Chavalier de Colbert Brigadier and Collonel mortally wounded the Lieutenant-Collonel wounded the Major mortally wounded two Captains killed two Lieutenants killed five Captains and seven Lieutenants wounded the Liutenant of the Artillery wounded of the Gensd'arms an Exempt of the Guards wounded of Vilpians Regiment of Horse killed one Captain wounded a Cornet and Aid-Major of Greders Regiment of Foot killed one Captain and Aid-Major wounded two Captains one Aid-Major and a Lieutenant several of the wounded dying of their Wounds soon after the Battel This blow greatly allarmed the Court of France and might have put Lewis XIV into another Fit of his Ague had not cordial News come from Rome of the Death of Pope Innocent XI upon which he immediately sent away the Count de Chaulms his Ambassador and the French Cardinals such as he would trust with his Interest prepared to follow him in order to make his Party in the Election of a new Pope But when they came to Rome their Admission into the Conclave was disputed till such time the French King should relinquish his Pretensions to the franchises which at last was agreed to be done during the time of Election But it so fell out that neither the French Interest nor Gold was so Powerful as heretofore for after some Contest amongst the Factions Cardinal Ottoboni a Noble Venetian was Elected and Confirmed Pope by the Name of Alexander VIII The City of Mentz having been violently Attacked by the Confederates under the
Command of the Duke of Lorrain and others and the Duke Duras in vain watching an Opportunity to relieve it with an Army of between Sixteen and Eighteen thousand Men the Besieged beat a Parly and on the Eighth of August Hostages were exchanged and on the Ninth the Capitulation was Signed in pursuance whereof the Place was Surrendered and the French Garrison marched out viz. 4500 Foot 400 Dragoons 280 Horse besides six or 700 Foot that went in small parties with the Baggage being the Remainder of 10000 that were in Garrison at the beginning of the Siege The reduction of this strong Place that had cost so great a Summ in Fortifying and in which such confidence had been reposed did not a little startle the Court of France and as is usual upon such Emergencies occasioned the change of a great many Ministers of State And what heightned the Consternation more was a fear of a General Revolt of the Protestants of that Kingdom seeing many of them forced their Way through the French Barriers of Languedock Provence and Dauphin and brought Terrour upon Savoy the only stickling Prince for France joining with others in the Valleys of Piemont Lucern c. which obliged the French King to keep strong Guards on the Frontier Places of Dauphin And some French Troops attempting to burn the Corn near Ghent were so warmly received by the Cannon of the Town and an Ambushment laid in a hollow Way that most of them were cut off And now perceiving they must quit the Electorate of Trier they resolved to use it with the same Civility they had done the Palatinate burning ten Towns beside what they had formerly Consumed and laying that fruitful Country Waste like a Wilderness and farther proceeded to burn Frankendale Neustadt Lubesheim Pettersheim Dirminstheim Wachenheim with several other Places and a great many Villages in Housdurgh Which Vnchristian Proceedings demonstrated their Power to be of short Durance in those Countries The City of Bonne Fortified by the Care and Diligence of Cardinal Furstemberg at the extraordinary Charge of the French King having been a considerable time Besieged by the Elector of Brandenburgh and making a stout Resistance despairing of Relief was constrained on the 10th of October to beat a Parly and sent out three Officers to treat about Articles of Surrender which were finally concluded and Signed on the 12th under Seventeen Heads considerably Honourable to the Garrison and the same Day Three â—undred Men of the Troops of Brandenburgh Holland and Munster took Possession of one of the Gates of the Town and on the Fifteenth the Garrison which at the beginning of the Siege consisted of 7000 Men marched out to the number of 3500 and 1500 remained sick and wounded in the Town The Governour Count Alsfelt was carried out in a Litter and all the Stores and Cannon c. were delivered up to the Elector So that by the Loss of this Town the French lost their footing in those Parts and began to think of going into Winter-Quarters after having indamaged those Countries more than Forty millions can repair in one Campaign Whereupon to be rid of so cruel and wastful a People the Emperor published his Avocatoria commanding all the French to depart out of his Dominions when on the other hand Lewis XIV lay great Taxes to raise Money for his carrying on the next Campaign We might enlarge upon many other Particulars to display this Ambitious and Bloodthirsty Monarch who has been so long the Troubler of Europe as his League with the Empire his solliciting them to make no Peace and encouraging them to stand off by promises of the powerful Diversions he intends to make in the Western Parts Under the favour of which his Ambassador at the Port insinuates what they have lost in the East as we find it set forth at large in the Emperor's Declaration c. But we think we have said enough to give the World a Prospect of this great Leviathan Who floats on Seas of Blood with vast desire To out-brave Heav'n and set the World on fire But Heaven's Bolts hit sure whene'er they 're aim'd And oft have Monsters full as mighty tam'd FINIS
extreamly strengthened and fortified at the Expence of vast Treasure lying at the same time so Commodious for Trade and other Advantages The pretences the French King made were That there was an Agreement with Oliver Cromwell that upon the Payment of a certain Summ of Money it should be delivered to the French But no body as we can hear of was privy to this Contract but himself However contrary to all Mens Expectation his French Pistols gained that strong Town which all the Cannon and Forces of France had the King of England defended it could never have done But now we Experience the damage of that Oversight when too Late For Dunkirk was delivered for Money and Lewis had the unexpected Pleasure of entering into it in Triumph on the Second of December in the Year 1662. These Successes flushed his Ambition to greater Attempts nothing less now than the Dukedom of Lorrain will serve his turn and thereupon he sent his cunning Sophisters to wheedle the Duke out of it by Threats and Promises First That he had an Army ready to fall into it if it were refused Secondly That he would consign him Lands more secure in Lieu of it in another place And to make the old Duke more fond promised to declare him Heir to the Crown of France in Case the Family of Bourbon failed although there was a Dauphin born of the young Queen These and other inveiglings between Force and fair Means wrought so powerfully that the Agreement was made the Sixth of February 1662. and in March following confirmed in the Parliament of Paris to the apparent Wrong of Prince Charles the present Duke of Lorrain who though of years was no ways consenting to his Father's Act. And upon this Agreement the French Troops were immediately sent who seized upon all the Cities and Country of that fertil and spacious Dukedom except Marsal which being garisoned and influenced by the young Prince opposed their Progress This made Monsieur storm and immediately he ordered his Generals to be ready for an Expedition to make War as he term'd it for the Glory of his Arms and came on so terribly in the Head of his Forces that the old Duke though he repented of what he had done foreseeing the ruine that would insue to his People if he opposed and being altogether unfurnished by the surprize of his Towns to Encounter a great Army thought it his best way to submit to his Misfortune And thereupon in an humble manner he went to Metz in Lorrain to excuse himself to Lewis who received the venerable old Man after a haughty manner and would hear of nothing but the surrender of Marsal which not being able to hold out against such a powerful Army as he had brought into the Country it was put into French hands on the Third of September 1663. Much about this time Lewis fell a cavelling like an Unchristian Son with his Holy Father at Rome and the Manner was thus Monsieur de Crequi his Ambassador in that City bearing himself with too high a hand and putting Abuses even upon the Pope himself it so enraged some of the Pope's Guards that whether willingly or by chance remains doubtful a Harquibus was shot into his Coach which wounded some of his Servants This Affront made such a noise in the Court of France that Lewis instead of going in Devotion immediately prepared to make a Procession to Rome with his Dragoons which so frighted Pope Alexander II. that then held the Chair that he was forced to send and meet his Army with Protestation of his Trouble for what had happened and that he should have any satisfaction This stopped his Carier a little and Pisa was pitched upon as the City to examine the matter And on the Twelfth of March 1664. it was agreed between the French and Pope's Deputies a thing that the Pride of the Popes of Rome never submitted to for many Hundred years viz that Flavio Chigi the Pope's Nephew should come to the King and beg the Pope's Pardon so that it seems the Great Pardoner was forced to creep at this Time for a pardon from one of his Sons And farther That a Monument should be raised in the place where the Affront was done with an Inscription declaring the Cause of its being erected This was performed but it did not satisfie For whilst it was a doing the French fell into the Pope's County Palatine of Avignon drove out the Garrisons and without respect to St. Peter Mother-Church or Father Pope plundered his Patrimony for which the most Christian King highly applauded them But soon after the Queen-Mother of France died and now Lewis XIV began to take his pleasure without Regard to the young Queen Wherefore though it may be looked upon as a digression it may not be amiss to see a few of Lewis the Great 's Intrigues with his Little Mistresses for you must understand his Inclinations have been as well to Love as Glory Since Lewis XIV was Married to Maria Theresa of Austria daughter of Spain the first Mistress though the Queen was charming enough young brisk and lively that he publickly owned was Madam de la Valliere and that she might come up the better to his Humour he made her Duchess of Vaujour And although the Queen grew jealous and the Queen-Mother very much reproved his over-fondness of this Woman yet he little regarded their Reproaches Whereupon they used many devices to draw off his Affections but those not succeeding one Father Anat a Jesuit and at that time his Confessor was prevailed upon to reprove him So that he took upon him boldly to represent to him the Scandal and bad Effects such a loose way of Living occasioned by making an ill Impression upon the Minds of the People and that if he did not Reform he must enjoin him sharper Penance at his next Confession But the most Christian King little satisfied with this Discourse coldly replyed That he thanked him kindly for his good Advice and his past Service but that for the future he would make use of no other Confessor but the Parson of the Parish And so the old Fellow was turned out of Service for his Ill timed Preachment which made the Society of Jesuits curse him for being so scurvy a Politician on such an occasion which he might have Improved to their Advantage But however though this was Cashiered yet others of the Society more cunning and facetious made a shift to creep into the King's Bosome making their own Advantages by embroiling a great part of Europe And the more to flatter his Ambition contrary to the Rules of their Order they took away the Name of Jesus from off the Gates of one of their Colleges in Paris and placed the King's Name instead of it which occasioned this Distich Abstulit hinc Jesum posuitque Insignia Regis Impia Gens Alium non habet Illa Deum They Jesus name have ta'en from their Aboad And plac'd the King's he only is