Category: Rebellion

Saturday, September 2. 1704.

Numb. 52.
[221]

I Have done with the Swedes: Monsieur L—n may concern himself to defend the Polish Election, in what Way and Method he pleases; I am perswaded he will never Compass it to his Master’s Reputation.

Conquest indeed may go a great way; Victory is so Sacred a thing, and Men are so apt to give the Sanction of Right, where Heaven gives the Blessing of Success, that to Argue against the Justice of that Cause, to which the Sword gives the Authority, is almost to oppose the General Stress of Human Reasoning.

If Stanislaus the Palatin of Posen, for as yet I can call him no more, by the Assistance of the Swede, Conquers the present King of Poland, who shall dispute his being Lawful King? I question whether the King of Sweden himself, or half the Kings in Europe have better Titles.

If Conquest be not a Lawful Title to a Crown, we must go back to the Oracle and Enquire, where the Grand Spring of Title is to be found; and unless the People come in to help us out, I doubt we shall be at a loss. Continue reading Saturday, September 2. 1704.

Saturday, August 12. 1704.

Numb. 46.
[197]

POssibly they that call’d the Author of these Papers French Pensioner before, will call him Polish Pensioner now — And ’tis all one — The Thread of this Undertaking must describe it self; and according to the first pretence, I shall keep an unbarras’d freedom, without any regard to Censure, Foreign or Domestick; neither afraid of unjust Oppression, nor Courting Partial Favour, equally defying Fear and Hope, and every thing but Truth.

The Author pretends to no extraordinary Gift of Instruction, but while detecting the Contradictions in the Politicks of this hoodwink’d Age, is the Work before him; he thinks himself in his proper Duty, and hopes no People, either abroad or at home, will think themselves concern’d, in his saying, he resolves to go thro’ with it.

He presumes so much on the Convictive Invincible Power of Truth, that he expects it will bear it self up, and him upon it, above the Waves and Storms of all the Seas of Faction and Parties, he may be obliged to Steer thro’; and if not, he resolves to venture the Shipwreck.

He doubts not to force, even those People that will not Practise what his Arguments move to, yet at the same time to confess they are just, and to own the reason of them. Continue reading Saturday, August 12. 1704.

Saturday, August 5. 1704.

Numb. 44.
[189]

OUR last Review names two Pretences, which some will have pass for the Reasons of the Swedes pushing on the Affair of Poland, viz. Liberty and Religion.

I have said something already relating to the Swedes Generosity, and the Attempt of setting a Nation free, delivering them from the Bondage of the present King, and his Tyrannical Encroachments on their Liberties, his Saxon Forces, Muscovian Allyances, &c.

Liberty and Religion are the two Capital Pretences in all the Civil Broils of the World; how the latter of these has been box’d about the World by the Artifice of Princes; how Men of Pretence have made it the Stalking-Horse of their Private Interest and Corrupt Designs, I hinted at in the Review N˚ 42. and how far this has been either pretended or design’d in the present Polish Expedition of the Swedes, I shall farther Debate in the Process of this Paper.

Whether his Swedish Majesty ever made the Protestant Religion any Pretence to this War is not Material, and I shall make no difficulty to grant the Negative; but for the Notion of Liberty, the Freedom of the Common-Wealth, the Delivering them from the Tyranny of the Saxons, and the Invasions of Foreign Forces, I appeal to the King of Sweden’s Letter to the Cardinal Primate, to all the Memorials of the Swedish Ministers; and lastly to the Instrument or Declaration of the Rocockz, or Confederacy at Warsaw, where after the long Enumeration of the pretended Invasions of their Liberties by the Prince, they fly to the King of Sweden for the Restoring the Liberty of Poland; they Renounce their Allegiance to King Augustus, Declare the Interregnum, and depend upon the Power of the Swedish Arms to set them at Liberty, and to Grant them the Opportunity of a free Election. Continue reading Saturday, August 5. 1704.

Saturday, May 27. 1704.

Numb. 24.
[109]

SInce so long, yet I hope not unprofitable Digression, relating to the French Grandeur, some of which every days News informs us, is too true; ’Tis time to let the Reader know, we do not forget the Connexion of the Story, and that it remains to consider the Grandeur of this Monarch, by Sea.

Something of this Nature has already been touch’d at, when I was Enquiring by what Methods the King of France furnish’d himself with Seamen; but to proceed regularly in this Case, it may not be amiss to Examine when, and how he has improved his Naval Power.

We find in the Reign of Lewis XIII. Cardinal Richlieu saw the great Deficiency of the French in this Matter; for the Rochellers, strong in Shipping, and supplied from England with Stores, grew so very formidable, that they spread the Seas with a Fleet of 35 Sail of Men of War, which made Prize of all the Roman Catholick Ships, ruin’d the Trade, and Enrich’d themselves to admiration: For as the King had no Fleet able to Encounter them, they Imploy’d themselves not only in Defence of themselves, but rov’d over the narrow Seas as Privateers, and by this Means kept themselves in a Posture able to Match the King, and to support their Forces by Land; and an Instance of this is found in the Histories of those Times, in the Year 1625.

Seven of the King’s biggest Ships lay at Blavet, a Port of Bretaign, not far from Rochel; Soubize, the Admiral of the Rochellers, Attack’d ’em, took fix of ’em, and carried them into Rochel, in spight of all the Fire from the great Batteries on the Shoar. Continue reading Saturday, May 27. 1704.

Tuesday, April 25. 1704.

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. Continue reading Tuesday, April 25. 1704.

Saturday, April 22. 1704.

Numb. 14.
[69]

THE impossibility of Relieving the Camisars, tho’ we were heartily willing to joyn in such an undertaking, seems to me so plain, that I never found any feasible Project laid down for the bringing it to pass.

Those who expected the Confederate Fleet when they went into the Straights, should relieve the Camisars, and reproach’d our Government for their coming back before it was effected; shew’d their want of Judgment, as well as their want of Manners.

The Mountains of the Cevennes being at least 25 Leagues from the Sea-Coast, and the nearest Places on the Coast altogether unfit to receive a Fleet; no Port, no Harbour for the Ships to ride in; no Town or Fort to Land any Forces; ’tis strange to me what those People expected.

The Mareshal de Montrevel lay about Nismes, and as any one who knows the Scituation“Scituation” is a relatively consistent alternative spelling for “situation.” Since both occur frequently the word will be rendered as printed in this edition. of the Country will allow, either was, or on the least Alarm, might be Posted with his Army between the Cevennois and the Sea, so that whatever force had Attempted their Relief, must at least have been strong enough to have fought the French Army; and allow that Army had been but 12000 Men, all Men know, that Sir Cloudesly Shovel did not go furnish’d to fight a Land Army of half that Force. Continue reading Saturday, April 22. 1704.

Tuesday, April 18. 1704.

Numb. 13.
[65]

THe Cevennois are not so much the Miracle of this Age, as ’tis a Wonder to me the Accounts we have had of them should obtain so much in an Age, so incredulous as this.

I cannot think ’tis my Business to enter into a Debate of Original Right in such an undertaking as this; and to concern these Sheets with an Enquiry into the Justice of their taking Arms, and the Reasonableness of their being Oppress’d for Matters of Conscience.

That the Christian Religion does no way justify the oppression of the Conscience, we who call ourselves Protestants generally grant; but how far those Oppressions justify the Subject in defending themselves, is a point so hotly debated, that in this Paper, wherein I carefully avoid the Strife of Parties, I shall not enter into the Dispute.

Besides, as I have frequently Ingag’d in the Argument on other occasions, I think ’tis needless to Examine a Case, here, which ought to take up a whole Volume by it self. Continue reading Tuesday, April 18. 1704.

Saturday, April 15. 1704.

Numb 12.
[61]

THE method for raising Men in France for the Land-Service, was the last Instance, of the Absolute Dominion of the King, and a Proof of its being Adapted, and particularly Useful to the promoting the Greatness of his Power and his Conquests abroad.

For the Sea, his Methods are equally Absolute, and as positively Obey’d, when first he Resolv’d to make himself Great at Sea; and if Fame belies not our Politick Managers of that day, receiv’d Helps and Instructions from England for that Purpose; I mean, for Building Ships of War; the Great Defect, which he found almost Insuperable, and an Obstruction which wou’d have Discouraged any Prince in the World but himself, was his want of Sea-men; and so far was he from being in a Condition to Supply himself by Ordinary Methods, that if I am rightly inform’d, upon a most Exact Scrutiny, in all the Ports of his Kingdom, he found, that if all the Ships belonging to his Subjects where wholly laid up, and Trade laid by, all the Seamen in his Dominions would not Man his Navy; that is, such a Navy as he then had designed to Build.

Measures were then immediately taken to Increase the Number of Seamen, and the Building of his Ships went on with the usual Success of all his Undertakings: The first Method for Encrease of Sea-men, was to Compel every Merchant’s Ship, Fishing-Boat and other Vessel in his Kingdom, to take on Board, over and above their usual Compliment, so many Men on the King’s Account, to whom the King allow’d Certain Wages, and the Merchant or Master, Victuals and Drink. This Project being begun in a Time of Peace, when France was full of Men; the Men crowded on Board the Vessels as a Favour, Happy was he could get to be Nam’d; and thus in 7 Years time, the King made above 20000 Sailors; by this time his Ships Encreas’d, and he always kept a Squadron at Sea, let there be Occasion or no; and if he had no Service ready, he often thought fit to make little Sea-Wars, to introduce his Men, to shew them some Action, and raise the Credit of his Sea Affairs: Such was the two or three Bombardments of Algiers, and one at Genoa, Convoys to Constantinople, Insulting Tunis, and the like; this was about the Year 1678, when these Additions were made, and his Sea-men from that time began so to Encrease, that in the Year ’91“the Year 91” in HRC 1 and HRC 2. In Secord there is what appears to be a vaguely visible apostrophe before “91,” but it is impossible to discern whether this is a correction or a happily placed stray mark on the page., we found them able to Man a Fleet of 80 Sail in the Line of Battle, and [62] Challenge both English and Dutch, to an Engagement at our own doors.

The next Article of Absolute Power, is the raising of Money; What may not that Monarch do, who has the Bodies of the Poor, the Purses of the Rich, and the Hands of his Nobility at his Absolute Command?

We find the Revenues of France, tho’ vastly Great, not equal to the more vast Designs of this Growing Monarch; we find, that at a Time, when we all thought he had enough to do, to find Money to Defray his prodigious Expences, he yet undertook the Regulation and Support of the Needy Craving Monarchy of Spain; but when it comes to the Test, we find also, if it be in the Nation, he will never want it. If half the Stories we have been told, of the Poverty, Ruin, Depopulation, &c. of France, were true, how could it be possible the King cou’d raise such immense Summs Yearly, and almost every Year Increasing, as we find he does. Continue reading Saturday, April 15. 1704.

Tuesday, April 11. 1704.

Numb. 11.
[57]

THe Debate I entred into, about the Banishment of the Hugonots out of France, was so abruptly broken off in the last, that I must go on with it here, and repeat this part as necessary to lead the Reader back into the Story. That I am of the Opinion, the King of France’s Banishing the Protestants, tho’ it Impoverish’d and Unpeopled part of the Country; and tho’ it fill’d his Enemies with Soldiers, yet at the same time it was the most Politick Action of his Life, and the Foot upon which he now builds that Absolute Dominion, which is so necessary for the carrying on all his vast Designs.

I don’t think fit to engage here in a Dispute about the honesty of it, I agree to all that has been reasonably said to that point; and without doubt, the breaking and dissolving the Edict of Nants, is an Injury not to be Defended.

But as to the Policy of it: ’Tis plain it was so great a Stroke to all Europe, that all his Attempts since have been founded upon this Head; for till he had first cleared his Country of that Numerous Injured People, he could never have ventured to carry an Offensive War into all the Borders of Europe: Nor could he have spared his Numerous Armies, for so many various Enterprizes; he must have maintained strong Garrisons in the Provinces of Guienne, Gascoign, Languedoc, Normandy, Bretaign, &c. where the Protestants were Numerous, to have kept the Rod of Iron upon their Backs, and every Revolt would have hazarded a Revolution of his Affairs.

This needs no other Demonstration, than from the Present Disturbance his Affairs have receiv’d from the smallest handful of these People, in the Mountains of Languedoc. These Camisars, who, according to the largest Accounts I have met with, which I think deserve Credit, never amounted to above 900 Families, have occasioned the Attendance of a Mareshal of France, 18 Battalions of Foot, and 2 Regiments of Dragoons, for near 2 Years. Continue reading Tuesday, April 11. 1704.

Tuesday, March 28. 1704.

Numb. 7.The Review begins twice weekly publication with Number 7.
[41]

OUR last Paper was a Digression with Relation to the Affairs of Savoy, which however, some may think it Foreign to the Present purpose, was absolutely necessary, in Order to lead us into the Story; the effect whereof is so exceeding Pertinent to the Case in hand; Viz. The present Greatness of the French Power; for here, and we may say here only, The Affairs of France have receiv’d some Check.

And yet here the Accuracy of their Conduct is Visible, in bringing themselves out of the Snare laid for them, which had they not done very nicely, and by a Swiftness of Motion peculiar to themselves, they had not receiv’d a Check only, but in all probability a Blow, and that a more fatal one, than they had felt since the Action at la HogueLouis XIV’s failed attempt to restore James II to the throne in 1692, three years after the “Glorious Revolution” and two years after the Battle of the Boyne. See Benjamin West’s history painting of the battle at the National Gallery of Art’s website..

’Twould make a Man smile to observe, how, during this Interval, our Mountebank Historians of News-Writers, found Reasons for the French not proceeding; and one of the best of them had the folly among the rest to tell us, The French had a design to Bombard Trent, but cou’d not come at it for the River.

All Men know the River Adige is but a small one there at best, not bigger than the River Lea at Bow-Bridge, or Hackney-Marsh; and how that could hinder the French Bombarding the City, is hardly worth while to Remark. Continue reading Tuesday, March 28. 1704.