Numb. 15.
[73]
I Have but one Article to Add to this Head, of the King of France’s Absolute Government of his People, and that relates to his being Obey’d at Home.
’Tis true, the little Insurrection in the Cevennes, is an Exception to the General Character of the French Submission; but if we consider the intollerable Pressure those People lie under, the Zeal they always had for their Religion, together with the Nature of the Mountainous People, which is known to be Fierce, Rash, and Desperate; add to this the Situation of their Country, the inaccessibles of their Mountains, to which they Retreat, the Numbers of People in the Country round, who were Friends to their Design, tho’ afraid to venture: If we also consider the Circumstances of the French Affairs at the time they took up Arms, when they had good Reason to believe their hands were too full to spare a Number of Troops to Suppress them; we have more Reason to wonder this Rebellion has spread no farther, and that all Languedoc at least was not up in Arms.
And had not the Situation of the Country had this particular disadvantage to them, that no Foreign Power has been able to Assist them: I make no Question but the Seat of the War had been removed before now, from Italy into Languedoc, Guienne, or Dauphiné.
I cannot but observe, before I quit this Head, That in my Opinion our States-men who pretend they care not to assist the Camisars, that it is Dishonourable to Encourage Rebellions and Insurrections in our Neighbours Dominions, and may prove of Ill Example to our own: ’Tis my Opinion, these Gentlemen having first found the thing it self Impracticable, were rather willing to give a sham Reason for not Attempting it, than confess the Improbability, or afterwards be Reflected upon for Attempting what was unlikely to succeed.
’Tis true the King of France in his Letter to the Pope, Charges the Duke of Savoy with Corresponding and Encouraging the Camisars, and tells how “they reckoned in England and Holland, as well as at Vienna, upon the Progress of the Phanaticks in Languedoc, on the Intelligence held by the Duke of Savoy with these Rebels, and the Succour he would send them.”
If we did reckon so in England, I am sorry we were Mistaken; I confess I never was of the Opinion, that the Duke of Savoy in the best Circumstances we could expect to see him, could ever be able to pass the Rhosne.
[74]
We know he has a great deal of Work cut out for him; and suppose him very Fortunate and Successful, he must do more than any, or than all the Powers of Christendom have been able to do: the Glories and Conquests of King William shall be Trifles to his, and he shall be my Hero as long as I can write, or any Man can read; if he be able to Face the Duke de Vendosme, carry on a War in the Milanese, against an army of 50000 French and Spanish Troops, Defend himself against the Duke de Feuillade on the side of Nice, and the Mareshal de Tesse, or whoever shall Succeed him on the Frontiers of Dauphiné, and at the same time force his way thro’ the Heart of Provence; Pass the Greatest River on that side of Europe, the Rhosne; beat the Mareshal de Montrevel, and joyn the Camisars.
I think I am within Bounds, if I say the Year the Duke of Savoy does all this, he may e’en Traverse the whole Kingdom of France, advance to the Capital, and sit down under the Walls of Paris.
And therefore I must ask his most Christian Majesty’s Pardon, if I do not agree with that part of his Letter to the Pope, and cannot think that the English or Dutch, or the Duke of Savoy himself, could build their Hopes on the Success of those Poor People, or on the Hopes of joyning them.
If ever the Camisars are reliev’d, it must be by strong Diversions, which must oblige the King to withdraw his Troops, and leave the Camisars Room to Descend from the fastnesses of the Mountains, posses themselves of the plain Country, and open the Door of Deliverance on the Inside, for from without, it cannot be expected, but by Means wholly Preternatural and Miraculous.
If the Duke of Savoy can be put into a Posture to do this, I believe all the Members of the Confederacy will be heartily glad; and there is no doubt, but as we are Protestants, we should all be glad to see the Camisars strong enough to Establish themselves in the full Possession of their Liberty, as to Religion, and become a Body able to Capitulate with their King, for Restoring the Publick Exercise of the Protestant Worship.
As to Relieving them, and Supplying them with Arms and Money, ’tis wasting our Time to Debate, whether ’tis Lawful or not, when we have once found that ’tis not Practicable: Let but any of those Gentlemen make it out to me, that it is to be done, and shew the Possibility of the thing, I’ll enter upon the Legality and Honour of it with them, with all my Heart.
We have, as I am inform’d, a Book Publish’d Entitled Europe Enslav’d, if the Camisars are not Reliev’d, or to that purpose, I am far from being of that Gentleman’s Opinion; Europe was in but a very sorry Case, if her Liberty depended upon the Relief of this Poor, Despicable handful of Men, who tho’ we were willing to Acknowledge all they have done to be as great as has been Related, yet have no way Influenced the Affairs of Europe, other than the small Diversion they have given the French, in Imploying 18 Battalions of Foot, and 2 Regiments of Dragoons in Languedoc, which otherwise must have been found by way of Addition in some other Place.
But that Europe is any nearer Slavery, than she was before, ’tho’ these Miserable People were all Destroy’d; I can by no means allow any more, than Europe is to be Enslav’d, if the Hungarian Rebells are not Suppress’d.
I cannot but Declare against the hast these Men are in, to have that done, which they cannot shew us the way to do, and which all the Methods they have offered, are as far from Effecting, that they cannot amount to so much as a Rational Probability.
This most particular Gentleman proposes Landing 6000 French Refugees, under the Protection of an English Fleet, in the Gulph of Lyons, but will not tell us where, lest the Enemy should Fortify it, as if the French did not already know as well as we can propose, what Place is most Expos’d; we do not find them so Ignorant in other Parts of their Country.
But if 6000 Men were Landed, the Mareshal de Montrevel would give but a very indifferent Account of himself, if he suffered 6000 Men to March 25 Leagues [75] by Land unfought with; when to be sure he will at least have three times their Number of Troops; he must not Act like a Mareshal of France, nor be fit to be Trusted with the Command of an Army.
’Tis certain, to Land 6000 Men in such a manner, would be to sacrifice so many Brave Lives to a Desperate Project, and in which there would not be likelyhood enough to Justify it to Common Discretion; and I dare say no General Officer in Europe would have Foresight little enough to accept the Command of them.
If Europe must be Enslav’d unless these unlikely things are done, ’tis very strange the Princes of the Confederacy have never thought fit to undertake it; nor, as I can understand, so much as ever consulted about it; ’tis strange they should not see the Danger to themselves all this while, and consequently make the strongest Efforts, where they saw so much Necessity.
Our Concern for them as Protestants, is what it ought to be, and we are justly led to pitty them. A Christian Compassion is due to them, and no Man can read the Story of their Sufferings, without being touch’d with the Sense of their Miseries. But we cannot undertake Impossibilities; we can no more Relieve them, till it shall please God to give some farther Success to the Confederate Forces, (than we yet see a Prospect to hope for), than we can over-run France, or beat the French Armies out of the Field.
I heartily wish this was not true, and that they who are so eager for this Work, would find out a feasible way to bring it to pass.
The only way I know, is for the Mareshal de Montrevel to make another Ravage, and Destroy all that part of Languedoc with Fire and Sword: This would make all the rest of the People Desperate, and in time they would all fly to the Camisars, and so they might come to be 30 or 40000; and then perhaps they might extend themselves to the Sea Coast, and secure some small Port, from whence they might be furnish’d by Sea, with Arms and Ammunition, and then their Deliverance would be probable; but till then I give them over for lost.
Mercure Scandale:
O R,
ADVICE from the Scandalous CLUB.
THIS Paper having been Treating of the Camisars, it caus’d the Society to call before them the Author of the Dayly Courant, who was accused of Scandalizing the poor Protestants of the Cevennes, and charging them with most unheard of Cruelties and Barbarities; which he was desir’d to produce his Authorities to prove.
The Paper was produc’d and read, Courant, March… 1704.
The Camisars Descending into the plain Country, had begun their accustomed Cruelties and Barbarities, in Pulling down Crosses and Demolishing Churches.
Being Demanded whether these Crosses were living Creatures or no; he answer’d No: And being then at a loss how to make out the Cruelties of pulling them down, he was oblig’d to submit; and the Clerk read on:
Courant, March 11.
The Duke of Mole’s Estate was Confiscated at Naples, he being found Guilty of Felony against the King.
The Society Demanded of him what sort of Crime that must be; he Instanc’d in his Conspiring with the Imperialists, but cou’d not make it out to be Felony; for it must be Treason or nothing.
[76]
Whereupon he was Order’d to write to the Vice-Roy, to Demand the Duke’s Estate again, or else to let us know his Crime.
Courant, March. 30.
One of our Parties in Flanders, surpriz’d an Out-Guard of the Enemies, and might have taken several of their Horses, if the Enemy had not come and made them run away.
This was such remarkable News, and so Good, the Society thank’d him for it; for by the same Rule, they might have taken all Flanders, if No Body had beat them away.
The Flying-Post had a long Charge brought against him, but there not being Time to go thro’ with it, the Club began with his Paper of April the 11th.
The King of Poland has an Army of 50000 Pound.
The Post-Boy of the same date tells us;
The Earl of Marlbourough Embark’d for Flanders.
Ditto.
The Labratory at Munick was blown up, by which the Hungarians will have a great loss.
Post-Boy March. 30.
The Packet-Boat was driven back to Harwich by a North-West Wind; which every Man knows is the fairest Wind can blow for them.
The Nonsence of all these things had their Due Censure, and are referr’d to the Next sitting.
ADvertisements are taken in by J. Matthews, in Pilkington-Court in Little Britain.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S.
A Trip to Portugal: or a View of their Strength by Sea and Land; an exact List of their Forces; with the Names of their Regimental Officers; the Scituation of their Frontier Towns, and the true Prospect of their Fortifications. To which is added, a Catalogue of their Kings; of the Places they were born in; the length of their several Reigns, and the days of their Deaths: Also the manner of their Interments. In a Letter from a Voluntier at Lisbon, to his Friend in London. Sold by John Nutt near Stationers-Hall, price 1s.
LIves English and Foreign: Containing the History of the most Illustrious Persons of our own and other Nations, from the Year 1550, to the Year 1690. By several hands; who have been assisted in the Work with many private Memoirs. In two Volumes in 8vo. The English Lives are, William Lord Burleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh, George Duke of Buckingham, Marquess of Montross, Oliver Cromwel, Duke of Hamilton, General Blake, Duke of Albemarle, Earl of Shaftsbury, Duke of Monmouth. Printed for B. Took, at the Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleet-street, and W. Davis, at the Black-Bull in Cornhil; and sold by J. Nutt near Stationers-Hall. 1704.
THe Antidote; or, The Remedy of the Diseases of the Sick, and of the present Practice. The Natural Powers are asserted to Conquer the greatest part of Distempers assisted with few cheap, tho’ best Medicines: The Practicing Apothecaries oppress, hazard or destroy the Sick, by paying themselves the greatest Fees, by the great Numbers of costly Doses of their Physick. The College can only prevent this Infatuation and Danger of the Publick; Demonstrating the just Proportions, and the usual Rates of the Shop-Remedies, which may be sold to all Customers, who know by their own Experience the Quantities they want. By R. Pitt, M.D. Fellow and Censor of the College of Physicians, and Fellow of the Royal Society, and Physician of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital. Printed for John Nutt, near Stationers-Hall. 1704.
THE Wisdom of God manifested in the Works of the Creation. In two Parts. The 4th Edition, corrected and very much enlarged. By John Ray, Fellow of the Royal Society, in 8o. The Plain Man’s Guide to Heaven. By Richard Lucas, D.D. 12o. The Temple of Sacred Poems and private Ejaculations. By George Herbert, late Orator of Cambridge, with his Life. The 12th Edition, Corrected, 12o. An Historical Didactical Treatise of the Two Covenants. By John Parker, formerly Fellow of Emanuel College, Cambridge, 8o. The Augmentation of Poor Vicarages, with the Proposals thereunto, 4to. All 5 printed for Jeffery Wale at the Angel in St. Paul’s Church-Yard.
+++ A Doctor in Physick Cures all the Degrees and Indispositions in Venereal Persons, by a most easie, safe, and expeditious Method; and of whom any Person may have Advice, and a perfect Cure, let his or her Disease be of the longest Date: He likewise gives his Advice in all Diseases, and prescribes a Cure. Dr. HARBOROUGH, (a Graduate Physician) in Great Knight-Riders-street, near Doctors Commons.
MDCCIV.