fire to the Suburbs which retarded the Approaches that General Cohorne had begun On the 21st a Battery was finished on that side next St. Nicholas Gate and the Trenches advanced 100 Paces towards the Rivulet that runs into the Bottom which the French had swelled with Water and which was secured with a kind of an Half-Moon Next Day they began to play upon a Bastion and the Works before St. Nicholas Gate from a Battery of 18 Pieces of Cannon And on the 23d the Brandenburghers played upon the Water-stop in order to let the Water out of the Moat yet with little Effect because it was lined with large Free-stone But about this time the great Rains which fell incommoded the Besiegers very much However on the 25th they continued pealing from their Batteries below the Village of Bouge and on the other side of the Meuse at the Brandenburgh Attack and levelled the Works which they had attacked the 18th with their Cannon and took in an Out-Bastian where there was a kind of a Counterscarp that same Night constraining the French that defended it to surrender at Discretion So that the Siege went on briskly and the Besiegers by the 27th in the Morning being lodged at the Foot of the Redoubt of Ballart made themselves Masters of it and about 50 French that defended it were made Prisoners But this was not all for after much Resistance they carried and lodged themselves on the foremost cover'd Way of St. Nicholas Gate that Evening But in regard the Meuse was low and for that by reason of the great Number of their Batteries they had made great Breaches in St. Nicholas Bastion the Demi-bastion of St. Roch and at the end of the Counterscarp of the Town they adventured to creep along the River and to storm all those Posts from whence they were three times repulsed but at last they did prevail For after a Combat of 4 Hours they not only lodged themselves upon the aforesaid cover'd Way but upon the Point of the Counterscarp on that side next the River Yet it unhappily fell out that some Sacks of Wooll wherewith the Besiegers secured themselves took fire which made them for a time lie open to the Firing of the Enemy tho' they soon made another Lodgment While this was doing here the Elector of Bavaria was not idle between the Sambre and the Meuse where towards the Abby of Salsines he not only forced the Entrenchments next the Sambre but made himself Master of a Fort at the Head of those Entrenchments where his Cuirassiers 〈◊〉 the Liegois and Spanish Cavalry signalized themselves very much and vigorously repulsed 4 Squadrons that came out of the Castle and had much ado to prevent their being surrounded But this was not all for after the French had disputed the Water-stop almost all Night the Besiegers at length possessed themselves of it Then they laid a Bridge over the Sambre in the midst of all the Enemy's Firing tho' all this was not effected without considerable Loss on both sides But there was now no looking back so that the 28th was employed in entrenching themselves in the Posts of the Ballance and Abby of Salsines And the same day 60 Granadiers and as many Musquetteers were commanded out of every Regiment to make an Attack on that side near the Iron-Gate which the French at first sustained with great Courage but they were at last forced to retire And the same Evening the Line of Communication near the Suburbs of Jambe was attacked so that the French were no longer in a Condition to make Sallies on that side Next day was taken up in attacking two Lines the French had drawn before the Castle between the Sambre and the Meuse both which the Besiegers carried one after another with great Bravery whose Work on the 30th early in the Morning was to attack the great Entrenchment of the Old Wall between the Sambre and the Meuse that still held out which after the Besieged had made a long Resistance by the Favour of a Line of Communication of one Redoubt and two Trenches and being assailed both in Front and Flank and that too with an extraordinary Bravery the French were driven as far as the Counterscarp of Cohorne-Fort But the Besiegers pursuing them to the Devil's House where the French had several Cannon laden with Cartouches and about 900 Men laid flat upon their Bellies and they being now come within the Reach of those Guns the Enemy let fly at them in a most dismal manner but the Assailants withstood the Brunt with incredible Resolution and after they had forced the French to quit the Counterscarp of the Fort they made themselves Masters of it yet not being able to keep their Ground they retired in pretty good Order But the French in the mean time found themselves necessitated to quit a Lined Redoubt some advanced Batteries and their Entrenchment from the Sambre to the Meuse There was also the very same Day a Mine sprung at St. Nicholas Gate which overturned a good part of the Water-stop into the Moat of the City and the Cannon played all the next Day to widen the Breach Now it was become the month of Aug. on the first day whereof the Besiegers battered the Works and the Breach that had been made at St. Nicholas Gate from whence they threw a great many Bombs which did considerable Execution and next day towards Evening stormed the Half-moon Covert-way and Demi-bastion that lay on the right Hand of the Gate where the Breach had been made and after being repulsed no less than 3 times they at last lodged themselves on the Counterscarp and carried on their Works as far as Fort William and the Devil's House and next day all things being in a Readiness for a General Assault Count Guiscard the Governour came himself upon the Demi-bastion where he ordered a White Flag to be put up in order to Capitulate Thereupon all the Batteries were immediately ordered to be silent and Colonel Mackarty who waited upon Major General Ramsey in the Trenches was sent to the Breach to know what the Count desired who asked to speak with the Major General himself and there-upon coming to him after mutual Civilities the Count told him That tho' the Necessity and Condition of their Affairs was not such as to oblige them to Capitulate yet for the Preservation of the Town they were willing to give it up upon honourable Terms Upon this Ramsey acquainted the Duke of Holstein Ploen with it whose Quarters was just by and promised the Count an Answer in an Hours time in which the King having Notice he sent back Ramsey with Power to exchange Hostages and an Express was sent to the Elector of Bavaria to give him Notice of it and to Commission a Person to treat about the Surrendry So that after some Contestation the Capitulation was signed the next Day being the 4th of Aug. upon honourable Terms And here for the present we shall leave Namur and give the
French Embassador at the Hague and the Dutch one at Paris And this being effected the Subjects of their Republick should have alone the Trade in that King's Dominions to the Exclusion of all other Nations This was soon after seconded with a Memorial by the French Embassador concerning an Alliance the King his Master offered to enter into with the States to be founded upon the Foot of the Treaty made An. 1662. which Offers were further enforced by representing unto them as well the Advantage that would accrue to them upon their accepting as the Inconveniencies that might follow upon their refusal of it and telling them that any Delay in the Affair would be looked upon as a Refusal and that his Master would regulate himself accordingly But the States taking some time to deliberate and demurring upon the Matter they received Letters in the mean while from their Embassadors at Paris importing That being sent for by Monsieur Colbert and going to him he had put them in mind of the many Obligations the States had to the King his Master and of the particular Demonstration he had given them of his Affection in offering them a Peace in the midst of his Conquests upon the Terms he did That he had since expected Overtures from them of a nearer Alliance But they having been wanting he had himself for some time since made an Offer of the same by his Embassadors at the Hague That it had been debated in the Assembly of the States of Holland and that the said States had Adjourned themselves without coming to any Resolution therein That the King was much surprized to find them make so small an Account of an Alliance which they themselves had sought for some Years before by an Extraordinary Embassadors now the same was offered them That this Alliance proposed was only Defensive which the States could receive no Prejudice by but much Advantage That his Majesty understood that the King of England did oppose them while he pretended to make himself an Alliance with them and that his Majesty would have great Cause to be dissatisfied with the States if they should refuse the Overtures made by him and instead thereof close with those of the King of England concluding That his Majesty as his Embassador the Count d' Avaux had already told them would take their Delay for a Refusal That however he would keep the Peace with them but would at the same time look upon them as a State that did not deserve to live in good Amity with him and would not favour their Commerce Mr. Henry Sidney the King's Embassadors in Holland as I told you and now Earl of Rumney was no sooner informed of the foresaid Memorial and Proceedings of France but he put in a like Memorial to the States shewing That the King his Master having understood the Proposals that had been made them by the French Embassadors could not believe that the States could so far forget their own and common Interests of Christendom as to accept of them That his Majesty particularly would have Cause after their having refused the Act of Guarranty which he lately offered to enter into with them for securing their present Peace to resent their entring into any new Engagements with France especially since his Majesty might have just Cause to be jealous that the same could have no other end than to enable the French King to shew his Resentments of the Peace his Majesty had made with the States in 1674 and of what his Majesty did afterward in order to the procuring a more advantageous Peace for them and their Allies than that which was made at Nimeguen That such a Resolution in the States would certainly prejudice that strict Union and Friendship that was established between him and them and oblige his Majesty to take other Measures But that his Majesty for his part would not only punctually comply with what was stipulated and agreed in the Defensive Treaty made between England and Holland the 3d of Mar. 1678 if they would reject the French Alliance but also stand by them to the uttermost if they should be attack'd by France Mr. Sidney's Address and Diligence in the Prosecution of this Matter was admirable and succeeded so well that the States determined civilly to refuse the Alliance proposed by France But the French King having declared he was not satisfied therewith his said Embassador made another Effort to divert the States from their intended Resolution shewing That he had received further Orders from the King his Master to acquaint them That his Majesty was extreamly astonished at their manner of Proceedings in the Matter of the Alliance by him proposed and highly resented it That he was commanded to expect some Days longer their final Resolution in that Affair but that afterward he should say no more of it nor accept any Act which they should offer and that then they must expect his Master would take such Measures as he thought necessary for the Good of his Kingdoms and the Advantage of his Subjects in their Commerce That Mons Colbert had told their Embassadors at Paris The King his Master wonder'd extreamly to find all Persons in Holland full of Hopes which their Letters had given them That his Majesty would not depart from the Execution of the Peace and that if they would not enter into that Alliance with him they should only suffer somewhat in their Commerce That the Sense of what he had then told them from the King his Master had been wrong delivered by them and worse interpreted at the Hague That his Majesty did not threaten them with his Indignation but the Dissatisfaction which he had conceived at their Proceedings might perhaps be the Occasion of greater Prejudice to them than the Indignation of others and that they would do well to consider what had happened to them within 8 or 10 Years past the Beginnings whereof had been less considerable than the just Dissatisfaction which their present Conduct gave the King his Master D' Avaux had no sooner ended but Mr. Sidney was ready to oppose who after he had take notice to the States of the great Earnestness of the French to press them into their Alliance he thought fit to repeat his Instances to disswade them from it That the King his Master did not pretend to make use of Threats of which the Memorials of the French â—mbassador were full but would leave them wholly to be guided by the Consideration of their own Interests That his Majesty did perswade himself that after the Assurances of Assistance he had given them in whatever might happen they would not enter into any Engagements which his Majesty should have Cause to look upon as intended against him and that the Instances of the French King which were too sharp and pressing for a Free Republick would not divert them from their true Interests and from that strict Friendship that was between his Majesty and their State and of which his Majesty had
and not only so but as it has the most convenient Ports in all that Kingdom and perhaps in the World so there the French King generally landed all his Supplies for that Countrey and was therefore afterwards forced to fetch a great Compass to do it which did not a little impede his Affairs And now we are at leisure to look a little how things have gone on the Continent How considerable soever the weight of the Confederacy seemed already to be it was this year further augmented by the Addition of another Prince who tho' he were in himself as light as a Feather yet the Situation of his Country was such as to make both Parties court him with utmost Application tho' in a different manner and with different Success The Duke of Savoy had all along since the Commencement of the War profess'd to stand Neutral which perhaps did not very well please neither Party concern'd in it tho' the French who one should think had most reason to be content of any first appear'd to be most dissatisfied For not pleas'd to have before put the Duke upon Imprisoning Exiling and destroying his Protestant Subjects the poor Vaudois they declare themselves now not satisfied with the pretended Neutrality which was no other than a meer Chimera and therefore demanded he should put the Cittadels of Verceil and Turin into their Hands for the Security of his Word which were hard Lines However the Duke put as good a meen upon the matter as he could and some time was spent if not gained by the Duke in sending of Couriers to the King upon the Subject and receiving others from him which tho' it did for a while yet a new Accident happened that made the French much more pressing and peremptory for a positive Answer For being inform'd that the Emperor had at last granted what the Duke of Savoy had so long desired that is to say to be acknowledged King of Cyprus and to be address'd to under the Title of His Royal Hâ—ghness which the Emperor had formerly refused upon good Considerations offered him by the Duke they became somewhat more than suspicious of the Duke's Fidelity and his declaring thereupon to the French King by his Minister That he had no design to abandon the Friendship of France or to do any thing contrary to the Treaties that were between that Crown and him were look'd upon as Terms so general and of so comprehensive a Latitute that they would not pass for current Coin in the French Court Wherefore Mounsieur Catinat who was to Command the French Troops on that side did before Summer was well begun pass the Mountains and arrived at Turin leaving an Army of about 18000 Men to rendezvous in the Dauphinate and so to follow him into the Duke's Territories which they soon did and for a time demeaned themselves without committing any Hostility For the Duke himself did not only offer to observe an exact Neutrality and for Security of Performance to furnish the King with 2000 Foot and a 1000 Horse But the Pope's Nuncio at Turin also thrust himself in to Patch up the Accommodation tho' without being able to find any Medium For Catinat not satisfied with any Offers that were made positively demanded Verceil for a place of Arms protesting that he could not listen to any Accord but upon those Conditions And the Duke had as little reason to be pleased with him or his Master upon this Head But tho' it is manifest he had by this time made Choice of his side yet all the Artifice imaginable was used to spin out a little more time because otherwise he would very much endanger his Country since the Spaniards from the Milâ—nese were not in a Condition to succour him And this was attended with new Propositions from France which in substance contained That the King was willing to refer his Concerns to the Pope and Republick of Venice upon Condition the Duke would put Verceil Carmagnole and Suza into the Pope's Hands till the End of the War But the Duke being no longer willing to mince a Matter that was already but too much suspected and must necessarily be known declared That he had now made Choice of his Party and that he was engaged with the Emperor and could not go from his Word However in regard the Alliance which he had made with his Imperial Majesty tended no further than to oppose the unjust Designs of his Most Christian Majesty to defend himself from Oppression and secure the Repose of all Italy If his Majesty would put Cazal and Pignerol into the Hands of the Republick of Venice till the End of the War and that all Differences between them were decided he would lay down his Arms and for some time put into the Pope's Hands one of his Towns as a Pledge for the Observation of his Word But France neither absolutely nor for any time had a mind to hearken to such Conditions and so came to an open Rupture the Consequence whereof was the immediate Liberty of the Vaudois and Incouragement to arm themselves against France the publick avowing of the Duke's Treaties first with the Emperor and afterward with Spain each of which we shall give you the Particulars of partly as being congruous to the Design of our Work but more in relation to what afterward has followed touching the infringements of them and first take that with the Emperor His Imperial Majesty sensibly touched with the re-iterated Menaces with which the King of France for some time since has threatned the Duke of Savoy which visibly tend to his Oppression because of the inviolable Adherence of his Royal Highness to his Imperial Majesty and moreover understanding that his Most Christian Majesty has with an Army invaded the Dominions of the said Duke on purpose to constrain him to surrender into his Hands his two Principal Fortresses and withal to furnish him with 2000 Foot and 2 Regiments of Dragoons to assist him to invade the States of Milan His Imperial Majesty judg'd himself oblig'd to succour a Prince who has always testified his Affection to the Emperor for which Reason he has sent the Sieur Abbot Vincent Grimani with all necessary Orders and full Power to Negotiate Treat and agree with his Royal Highness an Alliance for the Establishment of such things as concern his Imperial Majesty and to procure the Security of his Royal Highness To which end his Serene Highness Victor Amadeus II. Duke of Savoy and the aforesaid Abbot Grimanâ— have concluded the Articles following 1. HIS Royal Highness engages not to enter into any Treaty of Alliance with the Most Christian King without consent of the Emperor but to adhere firmly to the Emperor as a faithful Prince to the Empire 2. That he shall Act by joint Consent with the Emperor and the rest of the Confederate Princes 3. That he shall employ his Forces jointly with those of the Emperor and his Confederates against France and her Adherents
a height as had not been seen They dispersed Libels of me every day told the King that I betrayed him that I ruined him by perswading him to make such shameful Condescentions but most of all by hindring the securing the chief of the disaffected Nobility and Gentry which was proposed as a certain way to break all the Prince's Measures and by advising His Majesty to call a Free-Parliament and to depend upon that rather than upon Foreign Assistance It is true I did give him those Counsels which were called weak to the last Moment he suffered me in his Service then I was accused of holding Correspondence with the Prince and it was every where said amongst them That no better could be expected from a Man so related as I was to the Bedford and Leicester Families and so allied to Duke Hamilton and the Marquess of Halifax After this Accusations of High Treason were brought against me which with some other Reasons relating to Affairs Abroad drew the King's Displeasure upon me so as to turn me out of all without any Consideration and yet I thought I escaped well expecting nothing less than the loss of my Head as my Lord Middleton can tell and I believe none about the Court thought otherwise nor had it been otherwise if my Disgrace had been deferred a day longer all things being prepared for it I was put out the 27th of October the Roman Catholicks having been two Months working the King up to it without Intermission besides the several Attacks they had made upon me before and the unusal Assistance they obtained to do what they thought so necessary for the carrying on their Affairs of which they never had greater hope than at that time as may be remembred by any who were then at London But you desired I would say something to you of Ireland which I will do in very few Words but exactly true My Lord Tyrconnell has been so absolute there that I never had the Credit to make an Ensign er keep one in nor to preserve some of my Friends for whom I was much concern'd from the last Oppression and Injustice tho' I endeavoured it to the utmost of my Power But yet with Care and Diligence being upon the place and he absent I diverted the Calling a Parliament there which was designed to alter the Acts of Settlement Chief Justice Nugent and Baron Rice were sent over with a Draught of an Act for that purpose furnished with all the pressing Arguments could be thought on to persuade the King and I was offered forty thousand pounds for my Concurrence which I told to the King and shewed him at the same time the Injustice of what was proposed to him and the prejudice it would be to that Country with so good success that he resolved not to think of it that Year and perhaps never This I was help'd in by some Friends particularly my Lord Godolphin who knows it to be true and so do the Judges before named and several others I cannot omit saying something of France there having been so much talk of a League between the two Kings I do protest I never knew of any and if there were such a thing it was carried on by other sort of Men last Summer Indeed French Ships were offered to joyn with our Fleet and they were refused since the noise of the Prince's Design more Ships were offered and it was agreed how they should be commanded if ever desired I opposed to Death the accepting of them as well as any Assistance of Men and can say most truly that I was the Principal Means of hindring both by the help of some Lords with whom I consulted every day and they with me to prevent what we thought would be of great prejudice if not ruinous to the Nation If the Report is true of Men Ships and Money intended lately for England out of France it was agreed upon since I was out of Business or without my Knowledge if it had been otherwise I believe no Body thinks my Disgrace would have happened My greatest Misfortune has been to be thought the Promoter of those Things I opposed and detested whilst some I could name have been the Inventors and Contrivers of what they have had the Art to lay upon others and I was often foolishly willing to bear what my Master would have done tho' I used all possible Endeavours against it I lie under many other Misfortunes and Afflictions extream heavy but I hope they have brought me to reflect on the occasion of them the loose negligent unthinking Life I have hitherto led having been perpetually hurried away from all good Thoughts by Pleasure Idleness the Vanity of the Court or by Business I hope I say that I shall overcome all the Disorders my former Life had brought upon me and that I shall spend the remaining part of it in Begging of Almighty God that he will please either to put an end to my Sufferings or to give me Strength to bear them one of which he will certainly grant to such as rely on him which I hope I do with the Submission that becomes a good Christian I would enlarge on this Subject but that I fear you might think something else to be the reason of it besides a true Sense of my Faults and that obliges me to restrain my self at present I believe you will repent in having engaged me to give you this Account but I cannot the doing of what you desire of me What followed next were various Reports concerning the loss the Dutch Fleet had sustained in a Storm which to amuse us was heightned in their own Prints and about the same time a Parcel of the Prince of Orange's Declarations being intercepted in London when that Expression came to be read That the Prince was most earnestly invited hither by divers of the Lords both Spiritual and Temporal and by many Gentlemen and others the King sent for some of the Bishops and required a Paper under their Hands in Abhorrence of the Prince's intended Invasion But they refused to do it as contrary to their Privilege of Peerage and their Profession in promoting War against a Prince so nearly allyed to the Crown and earnestly desired that might be left to a Free Parliament at which the King parted from them with great Indignation The Wind had been now for almost 3 Weeks perpetually West during which time the common Question every Morning was Have we a Protestant Wind yet And a Seaman was observed to curse the Dragon on Bow-Steeple for turning his Head where his Tail should be But in the latter end of Oct. the Wind came Easterly to the great Sorrow of the Roman Catholicks and the Joy of the rest of the Nation And when almost all Men expected the Invasion would have fallen in the North and nothing talked of but Burlington-Bay as a Landing-Place on the 3d of Nov. between 10 and 11 a Clock the Dutch Fleet was discovered about Half-Seas over
a great part of the French Lines and raised considerable Contributions in the French Territories whilst they acted in a separate Body from the main Army towards Courtray But on the German side the Armies were both early in the Field and quickly enter'd upon Action and the first place that felt the Effects of the Confederate Arms was Keyserwaert a Town in the Dutchy of Cleve which in May was block'd up by the Elector of Brandenburg but the Siege was not so vigorously carried on as some expected in regard the Besiegers had hopes to make themselves Masters of the Town by fair means However they gave the Garison warning that if they capitulated not before the 25th of the Month they should have no quarter with which Menaces seeming not to be much frightned the Confederates having at length all their Bombs and Artillery ready began to batter the place in good earnest and Monsieur du Puy a Refugee Engineer and the same that had made the last Fortifications of Sedan had the direction of the Batteries who managed his business with great application So that at last June 29. the Town was surrendred upon Articles which in substance were That the French Garison should march out with all Ensigns of Honour and to be convoyed to Luxemburg the nighest way but all the Cannon to remain in the Town for the Elector's use and that the Germans were all to go whither they pleased and for the Regiment of Fustemburg they should march out with the Governour and having gone a little way were to make a stand and then the Sieur Kaben and Lobmaquen Prisoners should retire with their Companies as well as the Germans with the Subjects of the Empire except the Liegois who should retire or stay in the Regiment as they thought fit and that the Elector in his own as well as the rest of the Confederates Names should be obliged to the observation of all the Capitulation on condition that the French Governour made a faithful discovery of all the Mines Stores Ammunition c. in the Town and any Sum of the King's money exceeding 5000 Crowns that was found there was to remain at the Elector's and Confederates disposal In pursuance of these Articles there marched out of the Town 38 Horse 30 Dragoons and 4000 Foot the Confederates all the while standing to their Arms in Battel-array there came out 400 Germans that took an Oath of Fidelity to the Elector who found 58 Pieces of Cannon 2 Mortars with Stores proportionable in the place and of which he made General Schoning Governour And that every thing at this time might appear to concur for the cementing of the Germans among themselves the accommodation between the King of Denmark and the Duke of Holstein Gottorp which was like to imbroil so very much the Affairs of the North was signed the 30th of June and Couriers dispatch'd several ways to carry the News and countermand the Soldiers that were upon their March These things being thus successfully though slowly accomplished there was a Siege of greater importance now in view and that was of the City of Mentz we have already given you an account of its falling the preceding year into the hands of the French and now we shall enter upon the manner of the Reduction of it by the German Army under the Command of the ever renowned and famous Duke of Lorrain who in the Month of June arrived at Frankford with 20000 old Soldiers with him accustomed to Victory and there held a Council of War in conjunction with the Elector of Saxony and other confederate Commanders where it was then whispered the Siege of Mentz had been resolved on But however it was the place was not invested till July 17. and the Trenches not opened till the 22d the Army as well consisting of Imperialists as Saxons Hessians and Bavarians which last after they had left a considerable Force in the black Forest marched 10000 strong to the Siege being 50000 and upwards It will be too tedious to enter upon every particular days Action and advance in the Siege but in the general it was thus The frequent Sallies of the Besieged in a little time ruined all the Works which the Besiegers had been raising for several days and that was the reason that it was so long before the Batteries could be in a condition to make Breaches in the Walls and the Works of the City On the 16th of Aug. the Besieged made a Sally at high noon to the number of 2000 upon the Saxon's Quarters and presently overturned all before them but the Imperialists coming up to their Relief there happened a most terrible slaughter on both sides the French losing at least 500 Men but the Confederates a great many more Some few days after they made three Sallies on one and the same day and within two hours of one another in the two first whereof they made great slaughter among the Besiegers and cleared the Trenches the third was made with 3000 Men Drums beating and Colours flying now in regard the Besiegers did not expect this third Effort they were somewhat surprized and the French at first killed near 600 of them nail'd 2â— Pieces of Cannon fill'd up the Trenches and posted their main Guard of Horse in a place where the Besiegers had begun to open their Trenches but at last the Imperialists having rallied vigorously repulsed the Enemy who lost a world of Men in the Action But for all this great Resistance the Besiegers by little and little made themselves Masters of all the Out-posts where the Enemy had planted themselves and raised Batteries in 3 several places which they secured with good Redoubts from all which they began at once to play Aug. 28. at the same time plying the Enemy with a vast number of Bombs It 's incredible what a noise and a havock all this made together while the Cannon opened a Breach the Besiegers advanced towards the Counterscarp blew up some Mines and made all things ready for a general Assault Upon the 5th of Sept. a Council of War was held and the Assaults being resolved on the next day in 3 several Quarters every thing was set to rights with all the care that an Affair of so great moment required and accordingly on the 6th by break of day the Cannon began to play upon the City from the Batteries and continued doing so till 4 in the Afternoon Then upon the throwing up of a Bomb which was the Signal agreed on the Assault began on the Saxon Quarter at what time the Imperialists Hessians and Lunemburgers followed and having fought for 3 hours like Mad-men they made themselves Masters of the Counterscarp while the French who all this while fired very thick with their Cannon killed a great number of the Besiegers and sprung at the same time 3 Mines that buried several of the Hessians On the other side the Imperialists lodged themselves to the number of 11000 Foot and 3000
thing and Resolution of the English quickly gave Ground and retired towards their Camp Tho' a great many of them were killed in their Works yet it was observable that the English when they saw themselves really Masters of the Place were not at all forward to kill those at their Mercy tho' it was in a manner in the heat of Action But the Rubbish and Stuff beaten down by their Cannon was more difficult to climb over than a great part of the Enemies Works which made the Soldiers curse and swear even among the Bullets and gave occasion to that brave Man and right Christian Soldier Major-General Mackay to tell them That they had more Reason to fall upon their Knees and thank God for the Victory and that they were brave Men and the best of Men if they would swear less The English were no sooner entred the River but an Express was sent from the Town to Monsieur St. Ruth that commanded the Irish Army and French Auxiliaries who upon the News said It was impossible for the English to pretend to take a Town and he so near with an Army to succour it But being very soon assured that the English were in actual Possession of the Place he greatly lamented his Misfortune and ordered several Detachments to beat them out again but then he was sensible of a former Over-sight in not demolishing those Fortifications of Athlone that were next his Camp for now the English possess'd their own Works entirely against themselves So that the more adviseable way he had now was to decamp with his Army which he did that very Night and of whose Motion and Resolution General Ginkle had various Reports However he continued at Athlone till the 10th of July when finding the Town now pretty well cleared and Works raised for its necessary Defence he march'd on with the Army and the next day being the 11th reach'd Balshanoe encamping along the River Suck upon Roscommon-side which is a very good Pass and where the Irish might have given him a great deal of Trouble in gaining it But they had found out a better Place as will appear by this Posture for they lay on the other side of Aghrim-Castle three Miles beyond Balshanoe and were extended from the Church of Kilcommodon on their Right to a Place called Gourtnapori about 2 Miles in length on their Left ran a small Brook having steep Hills and little Boggs on each side next to which was a large Red Bogg almost a Mile over in the end whereof stood the Castle of Aghrim commanding the way that lead to their Camp passable for Horse no where but just at the Castle by reason of a small River which running through a moist Ground made the whole a Morass which extended it self along to the Enemies Right where there was another Pass at Vrachree having a rising-Ground on either side thereof the Irish Camp lying along the Ridge of an Hill on the side of which stood 2 Danish Forts about half a Mile's Distance from the Bogg below and this cut into a great many small inclosures which the Irish had managed so as that they made a Communication from one to another and lined all those very thick with small Shot And in a word the Enemy were so posted that they could not possibly have a better which General Ginkle upon viewing their Posture and the Map given him of the Ground was very sensible of However he ordered the Army to march towards them the next day which Monsieur St. Ruth observing and supposing by their Countenance they were resolved to attack him he gave his Men all the Incouragement imaginable ordering Prayers and Masses to be said in all Parts of the Army and the Report went that the Irish were obliged by their Priests to give no Quarter to any Soul living but to pursue every Man to Destruction they being assured of a most glorious Victory and St. Ruth himself was said to have made a Speech to the Irish the day before the Battle it being found afterwards among his Secretary's Papers who was killed in the Field and containing in Substance How successful and fortunate he had been in suppressing Heresie in France and bringing over a vast Number of deluded Souls into the Bosom of the Mother-Church that for that reason his Master had made choice of him before others to establish the Church in Ireland on such a Foundation that it should not thence-after be in the power of Hell or Hereticks to disturb it and that the Dependance of all good Catholicks was on their Courage to effect it He confessed things did not entirely answer his Expectations since he came among them but that still they were retrievable That he was informed the Prince of Orange's Heretical Army was resolved to give them Battle That now or never was the time then for them to recover the lost Honours Priviledges and Estates of their Ancestors urging to them they were no Mercenary Soldiers their All lying at stake and their work besides to restore a pious King to his Throne and more especially to propagate the Holy Faith and extirpate Heresie and lastly to hearten them to stand firmly to it he assured them of King James his loving and rewarding them of Louis the Great his protecting them of himself to lead them on of the Church to pray for them of Saints and Angels to caress them and in short of their being made all Saints and Holy Mary to lay them in her Bosom And now give me leave to be a little more particular in the Relation of this Battle of Aghrim whereof we are just now going to speak and the rather because it was beyond Contradiction one of the sharpest Fights that hapned during the whole Course of this War and wherein the English Valour was exerted to the greatest degree of Glory imaginable Sunday the 12th of July being come the English Army was commanded to advance upon the Enemy But the Morning proving foggy they moved not till it was about 12 a Clock which was then done in as good Order as the Ground would admit The General at the same time going out with a Party to view the Enemy who perceiving some of their Scouts upon the Hills he ordered a Party to beat them off which they did the Enemy retiring within half a Mile of their own Camp and this gave the General an opportunity from an high Hill to the Right of the Enemy to view their whole Army posted as before described and from thence he saw a necessity of gaining the Pass of Vrachree to the Right of the Irish and where they had some Men posted To this end he sent a Danish Captain with 16 Troopers to force it but they did not succeed so that the General ordered 200 of Cunningham's Dragoons to march to certain Ditches nigh the Ford to keep the Enemy from coming over and in the mean time the English Army march'd forward By this time it was two of
over the Christistians Left Wing But they being soon rallied and reinforced the Turks were several times beaten back and after a Fight that lasted for 3 Hours forced to yield the Field of Battle to the Victorious Christians with the loss of about 3000 Men slain upon the Spot besides Prisoners and to retire into their Retrenchments which they quitted next Night and retreated silently out of the Morea But with so much haste that they left in their Camp behind 14 Pieces of Cannon 2 Mortars a good number of Bombs great store of Ammunition and Provision 2 Standards several Tents 700 Head of Oxen and 300 Cammels and Horses as a Booty to the Conquerors whose loss amounted to about 500 Men and who by this brave Action prevented the Ravaging of the whole Morea and the Besieging of Napoli di Romania by Land while the Turkish Fleet blocked it up by Sea as the Infidels had concerted their Design But I do not find the Venetians made any Improvement of this Victory tho' it hapned timely enough in the Summer However it was exceeding brave of them and the Germans too in comparison of the Poles which Army I think hardly ever turned out of their Quarters this Season and the chief business of whose King was to endeavour though in vain to mediate a reconciliation between the Bishop of Vilna and the General of Lithuania whom the former excommunicated for quartering of some Troops within his Jurisdiction A hard Case upon a Prince to have his measures broken in relation to the Campaign as himself told the Deputies of the said Bishop thro' the feuds of a couple of humorous Subjects But thus it is to hold a precarious Crown And as for the Muscovites all that we heard of them this Summer was their march against the Tartars but nothing of Action save the blocking up of Asoph of which you will hear more next Year It remains now that we return homewards and briefly see what had been doing before the Conclusion of the Year His Majesty after so glorious a Campaign as before mentioned hasted for England and being arrived to the gladning of the Hearts of all his honest Subjects on the 11th of Oct. at his Palace at Kensington He called a Council that very Night and a Proclamation was ordered to be issued fourth for the Dissolving of the then Parliament and calling a new one to meet upon Nov. 22d following Soon after this the Great Duke of Tuscany's Envoy whose Master was grown mighty good Natur'd since our Fleet went into the Streights had his Audience of His Majesty to Congratulate his Happy Accession to the Throne but this was somewhat like to that of the Ilienses which we Read of in Suetonius who coming a Day after the Fair to Condole with the Emperor Tiberius for the Death of his Son Drusus the other made them Answer And I also Condole with you the Death of your great Countryman Hector This being over His Majesty went a short Progress and the day of the Parliaments sitting being come he spake to them to this Effect My Lords and Gentlemen IT is with great Satisfaction that I meet you here this Day being assured of a good Disposition in my Parliament when I have had such full Proofs of the Affection of My People by their Behaviour during My Absence and at My Return I was engaged in the present War by the Advice of My first Parliament who thought it necessary for the Defence of Our Religion and for the Preservation of the Liberties of Europe The last Parliament with great Chearfulness did assist Me to carry 〈◊〉 on and I cannot doubt but that your Concern for the Common Safety will oblige you to be unanimously zealous in the Prosecutio◠of it And I am glad That the Advantages which We have had this Year give Vs a Reasonable Ground of hoping for farther Success hereafter Vpon this Occasion I cannot but take Notice of the Courage and Bravery the English Troops have shewn this last Summer which I may say has answered their highest Character in any Age. And it will not be denied That without the Concurrence of the Valour and Power of England it were impossible to put a Stop to the Ambition and Greatness of France Gentlemen of the House of Commons I think it my great Misfortune That from the Beginning of My Reign I have been forced to Ask so many and such large Aids of My People And yet I am confident you will agree with Me in Opinion That there will be at least as great Supplies requisite for Carrying on the War by Sea and Land this Year as were Granted in the last Session and the rather because Our Enemies are Augmenting their Troops and the Necessity of Increasing Our Shipping does plainly appear The Funds which have been given have proved very deficient The Condition of the Civil List is such that it will not be possible for Me to subsist unless that Matter be taken into your Care And Compassion obliges Me to mention the miserable Circumstances of the French Protestants who suffer for their Religion And therefore Gentlemen I most earnestly recommend to you to prouide a Supply suitable to these several Occasions I must likewise take notice of a great Difficulty We lie under at this time by reason of the ill State of the Coin the Redress of which may perhaps prove a further Charge to the Nation But this is a Matter of so general Concern and so great Importance that I have thought fit to leave it entirely to the Consideration of My Parliament I did recommend to the last Parliament the Forming some good Bill for the Encouragement and Increase of Seamen I hope you will not let this Session pass without doing something in it And that you will consider of such Laws as may be proper for the Advancement of Trade and that you will have a particular Regard to that of the East-India's lest it should be lost to the Nation And while the War makes it necessary to have an Army abroad I could wish some Way might be thought of to Raise the necessary Recruits without giving Occasion of Complaint My Desire to meet My People in a New Parliament has made the Opening of this Session very late which I hope you will have such Regard to as to make all possible Dispatch of the great Business before you And also that you will call to mind that by the long Continuance of the last Session We did not only lose Advantages which We might have had at the Beginning of the Campaign but gave the Enemy such an Opportunity as might have proved very fatal to us And I am the more concerned to press this because of the great Preparations which the French make to be early in the Field this Year My Lords and Gentlemen I have had such Experience of your good Affections and I have such an entire Satisfaction in the Choice which My People have made of you Gentlemen
were detach'd to go and make themselves Masters of this Booty But as it usually happens in such Hurries the Ammunition took Fire that Day beyond the Bridge as it had done the Night before on this side the Bridge so that a good part of it was consumed with a great quantity of Victuals and other Booty In the Morning a Transilvanian Commissary brought the Grand Seignior's Seal a curious Piece of Workmanship which never happened before in any Battle that had been fought during this War Which confirm'd what the Prisoners and Fugitives reported That the Grand Visier was kill'd because he is bound always to carry the Seal about his Neck In the mean time the Hussars and some other Troops of the Army pursued the Enemy for above 4 or 5 Leagues together from the Place where the Battle was fought who found store of Booty by the way and some lazy Turks whom they took Prisoners The same day Colonel Gleckelsberg was sent out in pursuit of the Infidels with 600 Horse and to pick up what Booty and Prisoners he could He pursued the flying Enemy as far as Aranga within half a Mile of Temeswaer and after his return with a considerable Booty which he met with all along the Road he confirm'd what had been reported of the Grand Seignior's Consternation and of the small number of Foot that was left him As for the Loss which the Turks sustained it augmented every day by new Relations the last of which gave an Account That besides the Grand Visier and the Aga of the Janisaries there were 27 Bassa's slain upon the Spot above 20000 Men killed and about 10 or 12000 drowned in the Theysse 6000 wounded and several taken Prisoners The Booty consisted of 6000 Waggons laden with Ammunition and Provision 6000 Camels 6000 Horses 12000 Oxen and a very great number of other Spoils with 160 Pieces of Cannon among which there were 70 of a larger Size for Artillery 500 Drums and as many Colours 74 Pair of Kettle-Drums the Grand Seignior's Tent valued at about 4000 Florins and a Coach or Chariot with Six Horses wherein were 10 Women of the Sultan's Seraglio It was said that the whole Booty amounted to several Millions This Victory was so much the more Glorious because it was gained with so little Loss to the Imperialists A loss so small that it is a rare thing to read of so great a Battle fought and wun with so little Effusion of Blood on the Victors Side some Regiments not loosing above 1 2 or 3 others not above 14 15 or 29 at most But how Glorious soever this Action was there was this unhappiness that did attend it that it was so late in the Year that the Germans could go upon no considerable Undertaking and follow the Blow So that all they did the remainder of the Campaign was to make an Incursion into Bosnia from whence they returned with a considerable Booty So we shall leave them and being so near will take a step into Poland and see how their Affairs stood there before we return to prosecute the remaining Negotiations of the Peace We have hinted before that the Elector of Saxony was chosen King of Poland as much contrary to most Men's Expectations as the Change of his Religion was thereupon And that for all this the Prince of Conti his Competitor's Expedition thither who was in like manner proclaimed King was at length undertaken However Saxony was by much before-hand with him for besides other Paces made the Baron de Fleming as early as July 13th in his Master's Name signed the Pacta Conventa the same being done also by a great Number of the Senators and Principal of the Nobility The Articles were these I. THE Kingdom of Poland shall be always preserv'd in its Right of Electing a Sovereign King so that it may never become Hereditary II. No King shall be elected who shall not be devoted to the Roman Catholick Church and who shall not take an Oath constantly to persevere in her Communion III. Liberty of Conscience shall be preserv'd inviolably in its full Strength and Vigour and as for the Greek Religion that shall be taken into Consideration after the Coronation IV. No Presents shall be taken from those who shall sue for any Offices or Starâ—sties V. The Queen not to intermeddle with Affairs of Government VI. As to the Administration of the Military Affairs the Presidents of Vladistaus IV. and John 〈◊〉 to be follow'd VII Alliances shall be renew'd VIII Endeavours shall be us'd to recover the Vkraine and to conclude a perpetual Peace with the Muscovites IX The Revenues in Money shall not be employ'd to the particular Benefit of the King nor shall any Money be Coin'd without the Consent of the Republick X. No Foreign Forces shall be brought into the Kingdom without the knowledge of the Republick XI None shall be employ'd in Embassies but Gentlemen of good Fortunes XII No body shall purchase the Right of Naturalization but such as have done the Republick important Services XIII No body shall be admitted to any Preferment in the Royal Houshold unless he have first serv'd the Crown XIV Nor shall any Person by the Connivance of the Senators enjoy any petty Revenues of the Crown without the Consent of the Republick XV. No Person shall enjoy two considerable Offices at one time such as are those of the Mareschal and General but they who now enjoy any Offices shall continue in the Exercise of 'em and enjoy the Revenues of 'em without any Defalcation XVI The accustom'd Order in the Administration of Justice shall be preserv'd without any alteration XVII The King when he has re-taken Caminiec shall cause it to be fortify'd at his own Charges but after that the Republick shall keep the said Fortifications in Repair XVIII The Court and the King's Guards shall consist of the Natives of the Kingdom XIX If the King has a desire to Marry he shall advise with the Senators about the Choice of a Wife and if he takes a Foreigner she shall not have above six Foreigners in her Service at Court XX. Only the Latin and Polish Languages shall be made use of for the King's Letters and Orders XXI The Laws call'd Pacta Henricea shall be observ'd in the Judgments call'd Postcurialia and when any Difficulty shall arise Judgment shall be given with the Counsellors Assessors XXII The Differences which are in the shall be determin'd with all speed that may be XXIII That no new Custom or Novelty shall be admitted in the Order of the King's Table but that the ancient Custom shall be exactly observ'd XXIV Places becoming vacant in the Intervals of Dyets shall be supply'd in six Weeks XXV The Militia shall be so regulated at the Dyet of the Coronation that is to come that there shall be no need of Foreign Troops and Military Discipline shall be exactly observ'd XXVI That the Salt shall be tax'd and shar'd out in all the Palatinates according to the
to facilitate the Treaty with the Venetians and agreed in case their Negotiations could not be determined by the 26th the time they were to sign they should have time given them to continue their Treaty at Constantinople seeing the Ottoman Ministers were not willing to stay any longer at Carlowitz This Conference was on the 16th of January in the Presence of the Mediators which took them up 9 Hours together But they could not agree as to the Castle of Romelia and the Mountains which cover the Isthmus of Corinth The Venetian Embassador pretended also that Dalmatia had been annext to Albania by the resignation of several Places which the Turks possessed and which hindred the Republick of Ragusa from being totally separate from the Ottoman Empire But after various Contests they rose without coming to any conclusion and Reis Effendi declared if they were upon that Lock he would return no more to the Conferences However they met again on the 18th but to no purpose and next Day the Turks drew up a Project of a Treaty which being imparted to Seignior Ruzzini he declared he would not consent to it nor depart from the Treaty proposed for the separation of the Limits However he dispatched a Courier to Venice about these particulars while the Imperialists in the mean time signed their Treaty which is comprehended in the following Articles An Extract of the Treaty concluded between the Emperor and the Sultan In the Name of the Holy and Inseparable Trinity IN perpetual Memory of the Thing Be it notorious to all to whom it shall appertain That after fifteen Years of a cruel War between the Most Serene and Thrice Potent Prince and Lord Leopold on the one side and the Most Serene and Thrice Potent Prince and Lord Sultan Mustapha Han Emperor of the Turks c. and his Glorious Predecessors on the other these Two Most Potent Emperors considering how much Blood has been spilt and how many Provinces have been laid waste and mov'd with Compassion of the Miseries of their Subjects and being desirous to put an end to so many Calamities God through his Mercy has permitted that by the Mediation of the Most Serene and Most Potent Prince and Lord William III. King of Great Britain France and Ireland and of the High and Mighty Lords the States of the United Provinces of the Netherlands both sides have condescended to conclude Solemn Treaties at Carlowitz upon the Frontiers of both Empires where the Mediators the Lord William Paget Baron of Beaudesers and Monsieur James Collier being assembl'd together with the Count d'Ottingen and M. Schlick the Imperial Plenipotentiaries and Mehemet Effendi Grand Chancellor of the Ottoman Empire and Alexander Mauro Cordato of the Noble House of the Scarlati it has been agreed c. I. THat Transilvania should remain entire to his Imperial Majesty with the ancient Limits as before the War II. That the Province of Temiswaer with all its Appurtenances and Dependances shall remain under the Ottoman Dominion having the ancient Limits for its Bounds That the Imperialists shall demolish Caransebes Lippa Czanad Bersche Sabla and three or four other Places never to be refortify'd by any other Treaty The Imperialists and Turks shall enjoy in common the Conveniences of the Marosche and the Teysse whether for fishing watering of Cattle for the driving of Mills or Navigation That the Islands which his Imperial Majesty has in the two Rivers shall remain in his Possession and that the Subjects of both Empires shall be enjoin'd under severe Edicts to live quietly and peaceably without injuring one the other in any manner whatever III. That the Emperor shall enjoy the Country between the Teysse and the Danaw commonly call'd Batska Titul not being to be fortify'd any otherwise then it is IV. That a Line shall be drawn from the Extremity of the Strand behither the Teysse over against Titul to the Banks of the Danaw and another Line from the Teysse to the River Bossut and to the hither Shoar of Moravitz and from thence to that part where the biggest Branch of the Bossut falls into the Save which shall serve as Limits to both Empires V. That part of the Save which waters those Countries surrender'd to his Imperial Majesty shall be under his Dominion and likewise that which washes the Country remaining to the Grand Signior shall be subject to the Ottoman Empire but that part of the Save which runs between both Empires shall be common to both together with the Islands therein VI. The Limits prescrib'd by the Treaties and those which shall afterwards be settl'd by Commissioners shall be religiously observ'd and preserv'd without any Alteration nor shall any Change or Alteration therein be suffer'd VII Both Parties shall be at Liberty to fortifie their Frontier Places as they shall judge convenient except such as are excepted by the Treaty VIII All Incursions Invasions Hostilities and all sorts of Injuries shall be strictly forbidden on both Sides under severe Penalties whether they may be committed openly or in secret IX Nor shall it be lawful for either Party for the future to give any Sanctuary or Protection to wicked People Rebels or Malecontents X. Nevertheless it shall be lawful for the Transilvanians and all others who during the Course of the War withdrew themselves into the Ottoman Empire there to live in Freedom and Security under the Protection of his Highness XI But in Consideration of the Tranquility of the Frontiers and the Repose of the Subjects it is farther agreed That those Persons before-mention'd shall not settle themselves but in Places remote from the Frontiers and in case there happen any Disputes upon any one of the Articles of this present Treaty an equal Number of Commissioners shall be chosen on both Sides to determine 'em in friendly wise XII Prisoners taken during the War shall be exchang'd and if there be a greater Number of the one side than the other their Imperial Majesties shall extend their Clemency towards 'em and release 'em when they shall be requested so to do by the Embassadors or Ministers residing in their Courts As for those that are in the Power of particular Persons they shall be permitted to ransom 'em at reasonable Rates XIII In respect of the Monks and the Exercise of the Roman Catholick Religion the Grand Signior promises to renew and confirm all Priviledges granted by his Predecessors Moreover it shall be permitted to the Embassador of of the Most Serene and Most Potent Emperor of the Romans to make his Complaints and Demands upon the Subject of Religion every time that he shall receive Orders from his Master XIV That Trade shall be resettl'd between the Subjects of both Sides according to the ancient Capitulations XV. That all the Conditions stipulated in the preceding Capitulations shall be religiously observ'd in every thing not excepted in this present Treaty XVI For the maintaining of a good Friendship and Correpondence between the Two Empires Embassadors shall be
will permit The Fortress of Chonin will present her Flank on that side next Croatia as far as the Confines of the Emperor's Territories without doing any Prejudice to the Three Potentates whose Confines shall join to the said Limits But they shall be oblig'd inviolably to observe the Right which belongs to every one of the Three Potentates according to the Agreements of this Universal Peace Both Parties shall be equally bound to observe the said Line and if it should happen that in the Neighbourhood of the said Line or in the Line it self there should be any Fortress depending upon the High Empire the Territory seated behind that Place shall remain entire to the Empire and in Front a Space of Ground taken in the Circumference of the said Line shall be mark'd out in a Circular Line and which shall also have the Extent of an Hour's March As for the Fortress of Ciclut there shall be in like manner assign'd it in Front the Circuit of a League without the Line drawing out a strait Line to the Seaward and when the Limits shall be once fix'd and the Bounds and Territories settl'd in Manner and Form aforesaid they shall be inviolably observ'd without the least Alteration And if any one shall have the Boldness to violate the said Bounds and Marks of the said Frontires or to pass beyond the said Limits or that the Officers themselves should fail in their Duty and Care in that particular by punishing the Offenders according to their Deserts they shall themselves be severely punish'd on both Sides And in case the Commissioners shall meet with any Difficulties or should not agree among themselves they shall faithfully and exactly inform their Masters thereof to the end such Differences may be amicably compos'd by the Good Offices and Interposition of those that represent his Imperial Majesty and the Lords Mediators at the Ottoman Court. 9. The Territory and Dependencies of the Signory of Ragusa shall be annex'd to the Territories and Cantons of the High Empire and all Obstacles that hinder the joining and Communication of the Lands of the said Signory with the Lands of the High Empire shall be taken away 10. Castelnovo and Lisano which are in the Neighbourhood of Cattero being actually in the Possession of the Republick of Venice she shall remain in the peaceable Enjoyment of those Places and Territories Which is likewise to be understood of some other Fortress whatever it be seated in that Canton and of which the same Republick is in actual Possession And the Commissioners which shall be chosen on both Sides shall be Persons of known Integrity without Passion or private Interest to the end they may determine this important Affair with all possible Equity by making a Separation of the Limits of the Country by evident and undeniable Marks 11. The Commissioners shall give reciprocal Notice of their meeting and shall meet in a Place proper and convenient for their Business with an equal Number of armed Attendants Men of Peace and not given to create Trouble and they shall begin their Conferences upon the first Day of the Equinox that is to say the 14 22 of March of this present Year now running on 12. Neither Party shall give Sanctuary or Protection to Fugitives on either side but shall cause 'em to be apprehended and imprison'd that they may be brought to condign Punishment 13. Both Parties shall be permitted to repair and fortifie the Fortresses in their Possession but not to build any new ones upon the Frontiers not to rebuild such as are demolish'd The Subjects also of both Parties are permitted to build Towns and Villages in order to live in Peace and as good Neighbours one with another 14. As for what concerns Religion the release and exchange of Slaves and matter of Trade and Commerce the Conditions of the last Treaty shall be observ'd according to their Form and Tenor and the Sacred Imperial Edicts formerly granted to the Republick are confirm'd by this present Peace 15. All Hostilities to cease from the Day of the signing the Treaty concluded between the High Empire and the Republick and for the Information of the Governours of the Frontiers Thirty Days are allow'd for the Provinces of Bossina Albania and Dalmatia and Forty for Candy the Morca c. And a general Amnesty is to be allow'd to the Subjects of both Parties for any Action or Crime committed during the War 16. The Duration of this present Peace shall be determin'd upon the Delivery of the Acts of this present Treaty By these respective Treaties may be seen the several Acquisitions of the Confederates from the Turk during this long and bloody War now fully terminated How vastly the Emperor has increased his Territories no Man that understands any thing of Geography but must agree to it The Poles cannot but be satisfy'd with the Restitution of Caminiec in its present State with other Advantages The Moscoviâ—es have been also Gainers by the Detention of Asoph and other Places and Countries leading to it And tho' the Venetians seemed to have fared hardest in this Negotiation as indeed is usual with those who make their Terms last witness the German Empire in the late Treaty of Ryswick Yet how many strong Fortresses and what vast Tracts of Land are hereby conceded to them is exceeding manifest the Morea to say nothing of the rest wherein there had been so many famous Kingdoms and States being now entirely theirs So that upon the whole if you consider the Extent of Land the Fertility of the Soil and the Numbers and the Strength of the Garrisons which the Turks have lost and set them against the Nakedness of their Frontiers the cold Climate of Thrace the Barrenness of Macedon and other Parts and indeed against the whole they have now left in Europe It will appear they lost little less than one Moiety of their Dominions on this side the Tâ—racian Bosphorus and I cannot think a Truce of Five and Twenty Years will be sufficient to put them into a Condition to regain them again but should rather incline to believe that another War should drive them over to the Asiatick Shoar as a step on their way to those Barren Desarts from whence they first came But while this our European World may now justly sing a Râ—quiem for the Universal Peace that is establish'd between the several Nations that compose its Inhabitants what a pitty is it and how worthy of Lamentation that the poor Protestants abroad should fare the worse for it their Calamities encrease and as it were a new War proclaimed against them both in France Savoy and Germany I wish we may not hear the same in a short time from Hungary and Traâ—silvania from the foolish Bigottry of those Princes whose true Interest it is to protect and tolerate them and who after all can never sit easie in their Throâ—es nor one should think in their Consciences neither till they have learnt that true Principle that Conscience