it is not to be doubted extremly surpriz'd to see himself stopp'd on the sudden by that surprizing Change which has so lately happen'd in England and who can doubt but that this change of Soveraigns has been a Mortal Blow to him seeing that by that means he not only sees his Great and Ambitious Desigâ—â—s overturn'd and in lieu of a near Ally and intimate Friend he finds on the Throne none but an unrecon-cilable Enemy burning with Zeal for the Preservation of Europe and with a desire of Punishing thâ— Usurper and that which is yeâ— more sensible to France is thaâ— this New Monarch will not fail oâ— being Seconded by all the Christian Princes We have seen England in changing of Master to make the face of the Affairs oâ— Europe change also especially in the Low-Countries the decree of their Ruine having been determined between the Two Kings Lewis the XIV and James the II. after that France had long consider'd the United Provinces aâ— the only Obstacle that could prevent it from Conquering the rest of Europe well knowing that those States would at all times Oppose themselves to the Ruine of their Neighbours push'd on by a Motive of Generosity of Equity and of Interest also Therefore the King of France could not perceive which way he should go about to overcome his Opponents but in mining and in destroying totally those Provinces thereby shutting them out of the power of hindring him or of opposing his Design and that he could not do without England's consent Wherefore after the death of Charles the Second he so dextrously did embark King James in his Design and set him at variance with his Parliament through Religious Motives by ridiculous demands of the abolishing of the Test and Penal Laws which had been established for the support of the Kingdom and the preservation of the Establish'd Religion France was assur'd that by that means it should set the King and Parliament out of power or reuniting again and that by those means Lewis the XIV should oblige that Prince whom he led by the Nose to apply himself to him for Mony which he certainly knew the Parliament would refuse him that in case they should grant it to him it should be on such conditions which the King would not accept And thus that ill advis'd Pâ—â—nce would not fail to turn himself towards France as he has done and to let himself be obseded and won by fair but false Promises to render him absolute Master over his People and his Parliament with which Lewis the XIV has so long fed and entertain'd with dexterity the weak Imagination of his Ally that he has lull'd him asleep into a Lethargy very opposite to his right Interest to that of his People and even to that of all Europe of which it may be said That England holds the Scales In the year 1672. France was already working on her project against the United States through the means of England if we consider with what weakness Charles the Second permitted himself to be ty'd up by those Treaties he made contrary to so many Obligations which he had to the said States and of his particular Interest feeding himself with hopes of a share in those said Provinces before they were taken With what weakness did the same Prince sell to France the Town of Dunkirk and behold with his Arms folded Lewis the XIV take the principal places of the Spanish Netherlands not only Cambray Valencienne S. Omers Erre but so many others al-also which were as so many bulwarks to stay the fury of Lewis the XIV And ever after the Peace of Nimeguen have not whole Provinces submitted to the French Yoke And while that under the shelter of that Peace other Soveraigns had disbanded their Forces France alone kept his Arms because it knew what it was hatching and what it design'd to do The Town of Luxembourg was a Thorn in its side and it would be Master of it and Charles the Second was as little mov'd or it as if he had been pay'd to let him do and say nothing and behold unconcern'd that place taken from the Spaniard Free Europe which little by little saw one Province after another and one Town after another submitted to France did frequently cast its Eye towards the Parliament of England in hopes to receive some relief from that part but France had so well taken its measures there that before that Illustrious Body was assembled divers Lords at the sound of Louis d'Ors were become deaf to the Complaints of the generality and some amongst them had even lost the use of Speech and were become motionless for the publick good and that of the Nation and so soon as the House of Commons began to harp on that string the King made use of his Authority to prorogue them to another time and so business run in the same course again and gave leave to France to continue its way to gain Conquest on Conquest In the mean time the true English men who are the most jealous of their Liberties of any Nation were forc'd to be silent and quietly behold themselves hedg'd in on all sides without opposing it nor daring to complain Those that were lukewarm would frequently ask Why the Spaniards and the Imperialists who had most interest in it did not oppose themselves to that Tâ—rrent and to those French Conquests I confess that if they could have done it alone they ought to have gone about it and they can never be excus'd for having neglected it but those who know a little the Affairs of the World are not ignorant of the misery Spain is fallen into during the minority of a King and that the Netherlands are far remote from the Empire which has many Heads and which of truth cannot assist them without its Allyes that are nearest to those Provinces who are the King of England and the States of the United Provinces The Emperor has continually the Turks at his doors over which he is to keep a strict watch at all times Besides as I have already mentioned the Empire 's compos'd of divers Members who have each their Soveraign and their different Interests and therefore a long time is required and divers Springs must play to set so great a Machine going and frequently before the resolution of it be taken France has done its do and then it speaks of Peace and of Accommodation by which means Lewis XIV has for the most part kept his Conquests if they deserve that Name after which every one retires home disbands France makes shew to do the same and if it acquiesces so far to disband some Troops in one part of the Kingdom it raises others in another and thus remains still in the same posture to do mischief ready to attempt some new thing so soon as it finds any favourable opportunity In that interval France did not remain quiet it had its Emissaries in all the Courts of Germany who using the slight of
know their own Interest as do those States â—hould permit Lewis the XIV to â—dvance one Foot of Ground more â—han he is already being but too â—orwards all that Monarchs fair Promises and his kind assurances of Friendship remaining without â—ffect not being able to win them to be deceiv'd And perceiving that his Credit was at an end in those Provinces that all the Propositions of the Count d'Avaux his Ambassador were suspected and that he was still entertain'd with much Circumspection as Lions are fed still pulling the hand back finding himself discover'd and cried down not to lose any more time to flatter and amuse â—â—e said States being not able to accomplish his ends that way he â—esolv'd to ruine them at the same time that King James the II. goâ— on the Throne he knowing weâ— his Genius was satisfied that there wanted nothing but a Golden Apple to amuse him and to follow that itching desire which thaâ— Prince had to render himself Absolute Master over all his Kingdom to alter the Laws and thâ— Religion of it and to feed hiâ—â— before hand with the hopes of thâ—â— Spanish Indies that he might nâ—â— longer find himself oblig'd to Assemble his Parliament who approv'd not of his Proceeding noâ— of that great Alliance he had witâ— France which under what shapâ— soever it was represented to them did always appear hiddeous Dâ—ring all that long Interval anâ— till there were a fair occasion 〈◊〉 perform that great Design thâ— French Emissaries did continuallâ— pour their cold Poison in the English Court which was quaff'd 〈◊〉 in large Draughts by some of thâ— Grandees which they endeavour'd to Digest without noise seeing that at the same time they thus under-hand set forward their Masters Interest others who were not at such a distance provided themselves with an Apple against draught as did many others in all the Courts of Christendom It was in this contagious time so infected with the French Lewis D'Ors that Europe was to tremble and that all honest people that concern'd themselves in the common Cause of the good of Christendom were to shake at the very sight of that weight which was going to crush Europe to pieces seeing that its general loss had immediately follow'd that of the Seventeen United Provinces the Emperor nor the King of Spain not being then able to prevent nor put a stop to that Torrent which had chang'd it self into a Deluge from which not England it self had been Exempted in its time if afterward it would not have danc'd to the French Flutes and obey'd the Orders of its Ambitious Monarch I am willing to make use of these Terms seeing that all those that are Pensioners of France are soâ— but to Execute his Orders and to Work to increase the Grandeuâ— of Lewis the XIV not to oppose his Interests but on the contrary Sacrifice their Honour and their Lives to them so oft as the Good and the Interest of France should require it If ever Lewis the XIV had obtain'd his end and had made himself Master of the Forces of the Seventeen Provinces as he plotted it in his greedy Imagination through the King of England's Means there had then been no ways left for this last to retire though he should perceive his Error as Charles the II. had done and he must either by fair or fouâ— means have gone on with that he had begun through a weak Complacency and then the Most Christian King had rais'd his Voice and Arm at the same time and had spoken in Magisterial Terms to all the Princes of Europe neither had that of England been left for the last but had been oblig'd to submit to the same Fate with all the others as a Reward for all the good Services that he should have render'd him I once again repeat that the Designs of France were not new that long since Lewis the XIV had had them before him even before that James the II. had got on the Throne and during his Brother's Reign he luckily made use of the Dutchess of Orlean's Management who was Sister to both the Kings Charles and James But the First of them who had continually before his Eyes the Tragical end of his Father and who was still very sensible 〈◊〉 the sufferings and troubles of his Exile had much to do to resolve upon it and the Apprehensions which he had of his People did retain him and hindred him from Assisting France in all things as he was solicited to do and he at last did abandon it as we did see by the Peace which he had made with the States of the United Provinces and then he seemingly did relinquish the Interests of his Ally not to Prorogue his Parliament who very plainly did forsee the danger in which the Nation was going to fall had France continued its Progress as it had began in 1672. and the years following After the Peace of Nimeguen the Kings great Design against the United Provinces remain'd as buried during the remnant of King Charles his Reign but he soon rais'd it again for at King James's Ascending the Throne France gather'd new Vigour and beholding there so good a Friend with whom he was tied in Religion and Inclination Lewis the XIV fail'd not to strike the Iron while it was hot and during the Three or Four Years of his Reign the French Emissaries gave divers Assaults and set all Hands to work the French Ambassador Barillon made great Largesses to all those whom he thought propper to do his Master Service the Curtisans tasted of the Cake as well as divers Ministers at Court thus all unanimously did labour to perswade James the II. so soon as he was King to second Lewis the XIV in his Designs divers not knowing them there needed no great Perswasion to attain it because that Prince was already sufficiently inclin'd to it of himself and at that time of all Employs that of Messenger was the most necessary there was nothing seen but such kind of Persons on the Road from London to Paris and from Paris to London till the Treaty was finish'd of which the chief matter and knot of the Business was the ruine and destruction of the United Provinces All the Religious Orders and above all the Jesuits did take a great Interest in that Business and already cried out The Town was their own there was a perpetual motion among them the Ships that cross'd the Seas on both Parties were throng'd with those Zealots and Apostolick Postilions thus were all things in motion for the Good of France and for the Advancement of its Monarchs Designs some through Interest some through Zeal and others through meer Ignorance This Business thus built up with Lime and Stone concluded and resolv'd on betwixt the Two Kings Lewis the XIV the better to compass all things was desirous to strengthen himself towards the North but having lost the friendship of the Sweeds for having fail'd in keeping those Treaties which had formerly pass'd
between the Two Crowns France having no Prospect of patching them up again it took the Party of Denmark though it was nothing near so advantageous to it as was the other To render it capable of employing it on all occasions he sent thither the Count of Roy there to Command with many Officers and Men but after the Siege of Hambourg that General being retir'd the French Party did much diminish besides France could not Unite it self with that Crown in so streight an Alliance as it wish'd for and that it were necessary because of those Measures which Denmark was to keep with the United Provinces on the account of Trade without which it cannot do well neither can it turn it to so good an account with France it having at home all that it could draw from thence so that all that France can at present draw from that Alliance can but at the most come but to a Neutrality provided the Emperor and his Allies will give their consent Lewis the XIV was reckoning upon that when he assur'd James the Second that the King of Denmark would not disturb but on the contrary favour them in case that the Swede should join with their Enemies It was on that Pillow Lewis le Grand did gently lull asleep the King of England together with an imaginary shower of Gold which was to drop from the Spanish Indies But how great soever a Corruption is at Court there are still some good and the soundest part of the Kingdom of England could not relish that streight Union which was betwixt their Prince and France it clearly did see that on its side the design was to Change the Religion to Subvert the Laws Establish an Arbitrary Power and a Despotick Government which tended to the loss of their Liberties and Priviledges and to depend one Day on France which gave them suspicion of every step which the Ambassador Barillon and the Queen did make in that respect but their Zeal did so far transport them that at last the People the Lords the Protestant Clergy open'd their Eyes and thought of delivering themselves and with them all Europe from those shackles which were forging for them and the Heavens granting the Petition of all Christendom and in particular of the English Nation it sent them a Deliverer of whom Providence hath so miraculously seconded the Enterprise so as to prevent them from falling under an hard Bondage and under the Government of a suppos'd Prince a Foundling whose Father and Mother remain still unknown which was to be preferr'd to the Lawful Heirs of the Crown such a black and unheard of Supplanting did oblige the Princess of Orange as the next Heir to the Kingdom to intreat the Prince her Husband to second the just Request of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal and of the most sound part of the Kingdom Thus the Prince by an Admirable Conduct and a Divine Dispensation did bring things about according to the Hearts desire of the Nation without effusion of Blood and set Succession in its due and right Channel which was to have been interrupted by the means of that suppos'd Child for the Princess having been Crown'd Queen by Succession and the Prince King by Acknowledgment after the Throne had been declar'd Vacant through King James the Il's Desertion it happen'd very luckily for the Deliverance of Europe which I shall prove in what follows as being the Subject of this small Book In the first place I lay down for an indisputable Truth That if Lewis the XIV and James the II. had compass'd their Designs and Ends the United Provinces had been entirely lost through the breaking down of their Banks for that way did he design to begin to take away all means from the Inhabitants of ever recovering from that Dissolution in which he design'd to Reduce them after they had made themselves Masters of the Spanish Netherlands after which I cannot perceive how Europe could have prevented falling under the Yoak of the French Dominion having had the King of England for Second and Invading the 17 United Provinces and rendring Tributary in imitation of the Grand Seignior the most remote of those Provinces which he could not conveniently Govern I have already given to observe that the Empire alone could not hinder him by reason of the great number of heads all of different and distinct Interests of those Princes that Compose it On the other hand Spain being not in a Condition to raise Forces sufficient to oppose it nor all of them together capable to resist the rapid motion with which France would invade them after its First Conquests For to represent to us what France can do and what it has been able to do in all times we need but to frame to our selves a right Idea of things from Francis the First to Charles the Fifth we shall easily judge that it has alwaies been dreaded this last was both Emperor and King of Spain together he was Master of the 17 United Provinces while they were entire he had Burgundy and the French County as well as Alsatia he had an absolute power over the Princes of Germany and of Italy This Monarch was without dispute one of the Greatest Princes not only of his Time but of his Age a Great Commander undaunted in all his Enterprises daring Perils and Dangers in which he had frequently been and add to all that his Personal Valour a good Head-Piece and fit for Counsel encouraging his Armies by his Presence having under him the most Experienc'd Captains and the best Generals of his Time and such Armies that had been tried in all parts of Germany Italy and in the Low-Countries besides Fleets on the Mediterranian and on the Ocean With all those Forces his Courage and his Treasures though he had to do but with Francis the First who alone was his Capital Enemy and who was nothing near so powerful as his Successors have been and as Lewis the XIVth is at this time or at least as he has been of late years having no other Revenue but about thirty or thirty five French Millions whereas this present has four times as much Mean time with all this disproportion of Forces and of Wealth this Emperor durst not attack him 'till first he had joyn'd himself with Henry the VIIIth of England and with the most considerable Princes of Italy By this we find that even from that time the Emperoor did highly consider the Kings oâ— England and that if Francis the First King of France had first secur'd Henry the VIIIth's Alliance Charles the Fifth had not dar'd to attack him and with all the advantages that the Emperor had of his side Francis the first stood out against him and without the Misfortune that befell him at the Seige of Pavia where he was made Prisoner he had given work enough to his Enemy I pass from Francis the First to Lewis the XIVth much more powerful in Forces in Treasures and in Demains than his Predecessors
to former Treaties and in case of a refusal by an authentick and general Decree recall their Forces and with those very Troops that are so well Disciplin'd and those they have already go themselves and execute that which France refuses them and pull down those stone Tables which he has set up Besides let the Lords of that Republick consider that the more Souldiers they lend to France the more Men they lose whose hearts are insensibly alienated from their own Country by Death by Offices by Pensions by Mariages and some by the Change of Religion and these last are young Vipers which will one day gnaw their own Mothers bowels I know that the Switzers with divers others have some years since fear'd the Forces which France has to make it self dreaded allways kept in readiness after Peace and after the Truce also which Forces made it to speak with Confidence and required nothing but with threatnings being the only Prince in Europe that did see himself in a Condition to Undertake and to Act before others were in a Condition to Defend themselves which made him to be fear'd by his Neighbours and procur'd him Alliances but particularly that of King James with which he thought himself sufficiently strong to overcome all Europe beginning as I have already said by the United Provinces I doubt not but all these Considerations might have a great influence over the Cantons and oblige the Switzers to grant to France that which perhaps they had not done at any other time but now the storm is blown over the Cause of that Pride with which the King did threaten being vanish'd into smoak the fear ought to cease also and there ought not to remain any consideration capable to retain the Switzers under the Rod of Lewis the XIVth Let them return to their pristine Liberty and to their right Interest Let those Gentlemen know that Kings are Great no longer than they are happy and that they are fear'd no longer than their good fortune lasts I therefore maintain that that Imperiousness with which France was us'd to draw advantages from the Cantons is at an end now that it finds it self over-whelm'd from all sides that all its Alliances on which it founded all its new Usurpations are vanish'd and that at this present he has almost as many Enemies as there are Princes in Europe If they have not yet all declar'd they will not stay long they only wait to see the Dance begin to joyn themselves with the Allies as we have lately seen the Republick of Liege which has scorn'd its threatnings and embrac'd that Party which it apprehended to be the most advantageous and the most necessary for its State Which sufficiently shews the small regard that it had at present for the French King who is no longer in a Condition of doing any great Damage in an open War since England hâ—s turn'd the Muzzle of her Cannons against him and that the Prince on whose Alliance he so strongly built his hopes is no longer in a Condition to do any good or hurt to Europe for in lieu of succouring his Allie he himself stands in need of him he drains France the Calf in time will kill the Cow with drawing her too hard it is a new Charge to Lewis the XIV and that Unfortunate Prince sees himself on the brink of a Precipice which by a special Grace from Heaven he may yet avoid by retiring into some Convent The Laudable Cantons ought to make other Reflections and have other Considerations at present than they formerly had they should too lift up their Eyes towards England and behold Hiâ— Britanick Majesty William the IIId as their Friend and Allie professing the same Religion and who during His Reign will make it a point of Generosity and of Honour to Succour them against all the Assaults of the French King If they declare themselves both through â—â—e Tye of Communion and that of Esteem which that Great Prince has for them even His great and generous Designs ought to serve to make them reâ—urn to their ancient Rights and Liberties cause their aincent Limits â—o be made good again for greater â—ecurity but then they ought not â—o remain quiet all the while with â—heir arms folded but labour with â—ll their power and assist to bring â—bout so great a good and advanâ—ange which the Heavens offers â—hem To that purpose they â—ould Exemplarily punish all those â—ercinary Persons whose hands â—â—d their Honours have been defiled with the French Money Incessantly cause their Forces to return which are in the French Service in case of disobedience declare them Rebels and Confiscate their Means oblige those Fathers who have Children there to call them home on great Mulcts never to admit to any Employ nor Dignity either in Church or State all such as shall contradict these Orders and never cease 'till the Fortresses are demolish'd and Burgundy the French County Alsace and Lorain restor'd to their ancient Masters and Soveraigns that they may be as so many Bulwarks to the Cantons all which they can easily do in this Conjuncture which at this present so favourably offers it self and which they ought not to let slip seeing there is at this present between the Protestant and the Catholick Cantons so good a Harmony and firm Union that the Pope â—s wholly inclin'd to cause those of â—is Party to keep it strictly as a neâ—cessary good for the quiet of Chriâ—tendom and the safety of Europe â—s well as to abate the Pride of France All this will happen in â—eclaring for the Emperor and Empire I come now to Spain formerly â—heir Soveraigns Govern'd from â—ithin their Closets a good part â—f the World but since Philip the â—d its great Power has began to â—ecay and that of the Kings of â—rance to increase at the same time â—hat that of the Catholick Kings â—ecreased I shall not seek after â—e Causes of it because that is beâ—de my Subject I shall only say â—y the by that the Liberty of â—onscience in France has much â—â—ntributed to its Elevation and â—â—at contrary-wise the privation 〈◊〉 it in Spain has caus'd there â—â—eat Evils and the loss of Trade â—hich is the Soul of States and â—â—ngdoms The Marriages which the Kings of Spain have Contracted with France have been so many Levens of Discord and of War which have always prov'd very hurtful to Spain and not to go back any further than to the late Queen who was a French Woman as much by inclination as she was by Birth who by the subtle and dextrous Counsel of the King her Uncle'â— Ambassadors had always some new business to propose to thâ— King her Husband who most tenderly lov'd her By those meanâ— that Princess had acquir'd a greaâ— ascendent over the King's minâ— sometimes prejudicial to the goâ—â— of his Kingdom for whose prospâ—rity she had not all the Considerâ—tion she ought to have had sâ—â— having no Children to Succeed 〈◊〉 it and still in fears