he had sent with him but the General Officers that attended him remain'd After great Civilities on both sides they withdrew apart to enter upon Business and My Lord Portland came back into our Camp in the Evening notwithstanding that his Lordship went this first time very privately yet it was the publick Discourse of the Camp the next day and the Opinions were divided about the Business some conjecturing one thing and some another but most agreed that this Conference had more Relation to the Affairs of Peace than War The 30th the King went to Dine in the Abbey of Dilleghem which is very pleasantly situated about two English Miles from Brussels in the way to Wemmel and was now almost a Mile in the Front of our Camp it is of the Order of St. Norbert or Premontré and stands upon an easie Ascent of a Hill with fine Walks and Woods Gardens and Fish ponds about it Colonel Webb's and Colonel Walter Collier's Regiments were order'd out to cover the Abbey and a Detachment of 200 Men of the Guards were sent here to do Duty about His Majesty's Person the King's Kitchin and Furniture had been sent in the Morning and the Army that was now full of the News of yesterdays Conference would have it that the Marechal of Villeroy met the King in this place but the King found his Quarter at Cockelberg too close being inviron'd with the Camp on one side and the Town on the other and His Majesty had once a mind to remove his Quarters to this place to have a better and a freer Air but it was too far out of our Camp and too much expos'd to hazard His Majesty's Person there and that Design was given over In the Evening the King rid the Tour in his Coach about the chief Streets of Brussels according to the Custom of the Nobility in these Countries and the next day His Majesty went to the Opera this gave very good hopes to those that were Well-wishers for Peace to see the King mind some Divertisements in the midst of a Campagne The first of July His Majesty had by an Express from the Hague July the News of the Elector of Saxony's being chosen King of Poland in the Dyet at Warsaw which came by a Courier at the Hague to the Sieur Bosen the Elector of Saxony's Plenipotentiary at the Congress for the Peace and which he communicated immediately to all the Ministers of the Allies who went to Complement him upon this occasion the Elector of Saxony had not publickly appear'd as a Candidate till the Meeting of the Dyet and that the French Party had carried their Point in the Election of a Marechal and the Prince of Conti and the Prince Royal eldest Son to the late King of Poland seem'd to be the only Competitors that stood fair for the Crown as for the Elector of Saxony he was not yet talk'd of and his Design seem'd hitherto to continue in the Emperor's Service and command his Armies in Hungary the Campagne following but when the French Party appear'd so great at the Meeting of the Dyet none but so Powerful a Prince as the Elector of Saxony who could offer such great Advantages to the Poles and make them Powerful by the joyning of those Dominions and the Electorate of Saxony under one Head as they are in Situation and recovering thereby the Ancient Limits of that Republick upon the Turks by the Siege of Caminieck I say none but so Powerful a Prince that could bring such Advantages along with him to the Poles could then frustrate the Designs of the French Party and oppose the Prince of Conti's Election Colonel Fleming was sent to the Dyet as the Elector of Saxony's Ambassador who declar'd his Master one of the Candidates and made very great Offers to the Republick and indeed greater than any one of the other Candidates could do he was soon countenanc'd by the Imperial Party and that the Religion which the Elector had hitherto profess'd might be no Obstacle to his Election he produc'd a Certificate of His Highnesses Abjuration of the Protestant Religion and of having receiv'd the Sacraments of Confession and Communion some time before from the Duke of Saxen-Zeits his Kinsman Bishop of Raab sign'd by the said Bishop and the Pope's Nuncio attested the Truth and Validity of the Certificate as knowing the Hand of the said Bishop * The Electors of Saxony were the first that receiv'd Luther's Reformation and it cannot be believ'd that the Pope's Nuncio would have made that step if the Pope had been so Neutral in that Affair before the Election as he pretends to be since The Elector of Saxony march'd at the same time with all the Forces he had in his Country being about 8000 Men into Silesia and came to Breslaw upon the Frontier of Poland to be as near Cracaw as he could to back his Pretentions When the day of the Election came the Standards of the Prince Royal's Party appear'd in the Field as if they were still resolv'd to stand by him and Saxony's and his being then divided the Majority appear'd on the French side which made the Cardinal Primate without any farther Poling proclaim the Prince of Conti the very first day of the Meeting for the Election the Prince Royal's Party seeing that it was in vain to struggle for him any farther and that if they did the French must carry the Election joyn'd that of the Elector of Saxony which now made them much Superior to the Prince of Conti's Faction and thereupon the Bishop of Cujavia proclaim'd the Elector of Saxony King of Poland in the Field and Sung Te Deum for it in the great Church of Warsaw which the Elector's Party had shut up against the Cardinal Primate who therefore Sung it in the Field and thus it came to a double Election about which I shall say no more than that this Crown will in all likelihood be us'd hereafter as a Bait to bring the most Powerful Princes of Germany over to the Church of Rome and thus at length ruin the Protestant Interest in the Empire where we see it daily grow weaker and weaker There is yet another Method of the Pope's to undermine the Protestant Religion in Germany which 't is not unfit to mention upon this occasion and that is the alluring of the Younger Brothers among the Protestant Princes who are but Poor with Money and Preferments to profess the Romish Religion and if the Elder Branches fail Rome gets this Advantage that they have a Prospect of succeeding This is sufficient to shew that next under God the Welfare of the Protestant Interest does depend from the Good Union of England and Holland and the Northern Crowns not only to Support it abroad but even to keep it up in their own Dominions This Good Union and Correspondence is most especially necessary between the two former and the Enemies of our Religion can hardly compass their Designs but in setting us together
Campagnes and Voyages Battles and Sieges with the Olive-branch of a Happy and Honourable Peace in his Hand and the Lord-Mayor and Citizens of London had made it their particular Request to receive His Majesty publickly to express thereby their Affection Duty and Gratitude upon such an Occasion in a manner suitable to the Wealth and Grandeur of that Famous and Renowned City in the Particulars of which Magnificent Reception 't is not my Business to enter at present as belonging properly to the History of England I shall only add that His Majesty receiv'd afterwards Congratulatory Addresses from all Parts of his Dominions for his safe Return after having Happily terminated a most Obstinate and Expensive War carried on for so many Years by our late Enemies chiefly and on purpose to bereave him of a Throne he fills with so much Fame and Renown and to deprive us of his most Just and Equitable Government and of what has a necessary Dependence upon it all that can be Dear and Precious to a People our Religion Laws Priviledges and Liberties These are Exploits which require the utmost Gratitude of all True Patriots and Lovers of their Religion and Country which can do no less than express it self in hearty Prayers to the King of Kings that he would Bless His Majesty with a Long Happy and Prosperous Reign over us as a Just Reward of so many Glorious Atchievements for our Safety and Preservation All this while the French were not yet ready to Evacuate any of the Places they were oblig'd to restore to the King of Spain by the late Treaty of Ryswick being first by vertue of it to carry away all their own Artillery Ammunitions Provisions and Stores and leave behind them the Artillery and quantity of Stores they found in these places at the taking of them 'T is true the Evacuating of these Towns requir'd some time upon this account but 't is very probable that the French delay'd the fulfilling of this Article purposely till they saw what Success the Treaty they had Sign'd on the 22th of October with the Empire should have at Ratisbone where 't was likely to meet with a considerable Opposition from the Protestant Princes in the Ratification for if the Treaty instead of being Ratified there had been declar'd Illegal and Derogatory to the Treaty of Westphalia and to the Articles provided therein in behalf of the Protestant Religion it would not have been very convenient for the French King's Affairs that Luxembourg and other places to be restor'd by the Treaty of the Tenth of September should be in the King of Spain's hands The Plenipotentiaries of the Protestant Princes having refus'd to Sign the Treaty between the Empire and France on the 22th of October had still some Conferences with those of France to find a temper for the fourth Article so as they might Sign joyntly with the rest of the Empire but they were all to no purpose England and Holland had bor'n the Burden of a long and very Expensive War and their Trade and Commerce the very Springs of all their Wealth had been considerably impaird and therefore were not able to meddle at present in that Affair and vindicate the Interest of the Protestant Religion in Germany against these Incroachments upon it so contrary to the Westphalian Treaty so that the Protestant Princes wanting Power for this Reason to maintain and carry on their Opposition against the Treaty lately concluded between the Empire and France the Ratification was Sign'd in the Imperial Dyet at Ratisbone without any Alteration to the Fourth Article by which the Popish Religion is to continue in several Towns and Places of the Palatinate according as it was Establish'd by the French King whilst in his Possession where before the War were none but Protestant Churches to the great Oppression of the Protestants and the Violation of the Treaty of Munster in their behalf and France has gain'd this Advantage over the Empire as to Sow the Seeds of such Divisions in this Treaty between the Protestant and Popish States as may in time be very Fatal to Germany and increase very much the Greatness and Power of the Most-Christian Kings which for several Years last past has been found so Prejudicial to the Peace and Quiet of Europe The Treaty between France and the Empire being Ratified within the Term prefix'd in the Articles it was thereupon exchang'd at Ryswick the beginning of December and the French having secur'd this Point restor'd immediately after the Towns of Mons At h Charleroy and Courtray in the Low-Countries and Barcelona Gironne Roses and Belver in Catalonia to the Spaniards but they did not quit the Dutchy of Luxembourg till the Month of January following when la Roche and Arlon little Fortresses upon the Frontier towards the Pays de Liege were deliver'd up to Spanish Garrisons on the 17th and the 19th they took Possession of the Town of Luxembourg whereof the Count d'Autel General of the Palatine Troops had been appointed Governour by the King of Spain through the Queen's Interest being the Elector Palatine's Sister By this time all or most of His Majesty's National Forces Horse and Foot had left Flanders and were pass'd the Seas and got over into England Scotland or Ireland except six Scots Regiments of Foot which the States have taken into their Pay and Service being those of Lauder Murray Walter Collier Ferguson Strathnaver and George Hamilton and the three French Battallions of Refugies of la Meloniere Belcastel and Marton My Lord Gallway's Horse and the Marquis de Mirmont's Dragoons which are still kept in His Majesty's Service in Flanders And the French were then working to demolish the Works on the Rhine and elsewhere which are to be Raz'd by the Treaty and to evacuate those which they are to restore to the Empire but as yet have not perform'd it however we need not doubt but they will and News are daily expected of their having begun with Philipsbourg and deliver'd it up to an Imperial Garrison but these Affairs do not come directly within the compass of this History and therefore I need not speak any more about them lest that should swell this Account to too great a Bulk which is long enough already and longer than I would have made it if it could have been done conveniently without omitting some Material Passages I have no more to add but some few short Reflexions upon the Peace lately agreed upon at Ryswick which brings this History to a most happy Period and to it s wish'd for Conclusion the Negociations whereof have been carried on with more Calmness Tranquility and Expedition than any General Treaty we can read of before notwithstanding several Occasions which have offer'd themselves seasonably enough to take hold of them thereby to disturb or prolong this great Work We have seen the King of Sweden Charles the Eleventh who by his Mediation had so wisely manag'd Affairs as to bring the Plenipotentiaries of the
by the Ears in which 't is to be fear'd they meet but with too much Encouragement from the People on both sides The Second The Marechal of Villeroy sent a Trumpet to the Prince of Vaudemont to notifie to him that a Courier had pass'd through the Marechal of Catinat's Army the day before going to the French King with an Account of the Prince of Conti's Election to the Crown of Poland and that he had been proclaim'd King by the Cardinal Primate before the Courier came away from Warsaw The same day all our Artillery was drawn off from the Batteries upon the Retrenchment and paraded upon the Height near the Wind-mill of Ganshoren the Post where it had been before at our first coming to this Camp it was at first suppos'd that this bringing of the Artillery together was for a Feu de joye for the Duke of Saxony's Election to the Crown of Poland but it was brought from thence to incamp in the Rear of the Second Line two or three days after The Fourth in the Evening all the Artillery in the Marechals of Villeroy and Boufler's Armies being drawn up together in a Line upon a Height between them both toward Brussels it was thrice fir'd with as many rounds of Small-shot in both Armies for the News of the Prince of Conti's Election to be King of Poland and the same thing was done in all the other Armies of France by the King's Order The Fifth My Lord Portland went to the second Conference with the Marechal of Bouflers privately as before and it was held in the same place in the open Field several General Officers and others waited upon the Marechal of Bouflers to the place of Conference and the Marechal told My Lord Portland that if his Lordship would come attended with the Generals and other principal Officers of our Army they should be very Welcome Orders were given this Evening for all the Horses to Graze in the day-time thereby to spare Forrage which began now to grow very scarce about our Army The Horses belonging to the Infantry graz'd accordingly the next day before our Camp towards Zellich Releghem and Wemmel having a good Detachment to cover them of which the Marechal of Bouflers having Intelligence he came with about 30 Squadrons to disturb them and all our Graziers were forc'd to come back into the Camp without any considerable Loss but upon first notice on our side the Earl of Athlone was commanded out with about 20 Squadrons of Horse with orders not to ingage himself in any Action only to observe the French and shelter the Retreat of our Graziers Several Squadrons of the French Horse and ours came very near one another and drew up in Opposition a deep hollow way remaining between them and fac'd one another for a while the Trumpets and Kettle-drums making a very good Entertainment at the same time on both sides without any Disturbance but at last one of our Troopers or some body else fir'd a Shot or two from behind a Hedge which alarm'd the French and some of them fir'd again and kill'd two of our Troopers which broke up this kind of an Interview the French drew off and went their way and so did we The Tenth was held the third Conference between My Lord Portland and the Marechal of Bouflers in the open Field as before My Lord went attended this time by about twenty Persons of note from our Camp among whom were the Earl of Rivers Lieutenant General and the Earl of Essex Mr. Hill His Majesty's Envoy at Brussels and Treasurer of the Army and Mr. Stepney the King's Envoy to several Princes of Germany lately arriv'd from thence and several others The Marechal of Bouflers receiv'd them very kindly being presented to him by My Lord Portland and desir'd the Dukes of Roquelaure Luxembourg and Guiche-Grammont to entertain them in Conversation whilst he and My Lord should go aside to talk of Business The French Plenipotentiaries gave in at last their Project of a General Peace with the Allies this day the Affairs of Poland had not succeeded according to the Desires and Expectations of the French Court Monsieur de Pointy's Expedition had produc'd nothing remarkable but the Sacking of Carthagena and the Galleons were safe but Pointy himself seem'd not to be so now and the French were very apprehensive of his meeting with Admiral Nevil that had been sent from England to the West-Indies with a strong Squadron to observe him and there were several Reports at present in Europe which were not at all favourable to Pointy and the Parties concern'd were very much afraid that they should have no great Share in the Booty made at Carthagena and though Pointy should escape Nevil yet he had another Risk to run and that was his getting into Bresl As for the Siege of Barcelona this place was very obstinately defended by the Spaniards who had all the Forces they were Masters of Catalonia concern'd in the Defence by a Communication between the Town and the Army by the Fort of Monjouy and which within and without amounted to about 17000 Men whereas the French were not above 27 or 28000 strong and too weak to take up the Posts all about the Town but were forc'd to leave the Quarter of Monjouy open which serv'd for a Communication between the Besieged and the Spanish Army without where they had not then above six or seven thousand Men commanded by the Vice roy of Catalonia this made the Siege of Barcelona doubtful and there was no likelihood of taking the place as yet The French did not therefore think it convenient to delay the giving in of their Project any longer and it was deliver'd in this day in Congress to the Mediator consisting of three Heads according to the Tenour of the full Powers which the French Plenipotentiaries had of Treating with the Emperor and Empire the King of Spain the States General and their Allies and 37 Articles The French King by this Project offer'd chiefly in relation to the Empire either to restore Strasbourg in the Condition it was when taken or to give in exchange all the places he had in Brisgow and Alsatia on the right side of the Rhine as Brisack Fribourg c. and the Fort of Kell on the same side of the Rhine opposite to Strasbourg and likewise to restore Philipsbourg and all other places taken in the Palatinate or elsewhere in the Empire since the Treaty of Nimeguen and in case the Emperor and Empire accepted of the Equivalent for Strasbourg that then the Rhine should serve as a common Limit to Germany and France all above Philipsbourg and thereupon that the Emperor and Empire should have no Forts nor Fortifications from thence upon the left side of the Rhine nor the French upon the right side of it according to which Propositions if agreed to the New Town of Brisack on the left side of the Rhine the Bridge of Philipsbourg and the Work that covers it on the