Tuesday, October 10. 1704.

Numb. 63.
[265]

I Am not justifying here the Honour of such Princes Proceedings, who fall upon their Neighbours, and begin Wars and Hostilities, without pretence of Quarrel, and without Declaring first their Resolution.

But for the Edification of those Gentlemen; who are willing the Swedes should ruin the King of Poland, because he Assaulted them without a just Ground; I would recommend to their consideration, how the Hungarians joyn’d with the Turks, in a War against the Emperor, under the obligation of a Solemn Peace, unbroken, and which had three Years yet to come, and without any ground of Complaint on the Turks behalf.

Nay, so openly, and against all Justice and Honour did the Turks break this Peace, that when afterwards the Losses and Destruction of the War, brought them to think their Priests at Constantinople exclaim’d against the injustice of it, and the Rabble Sacrificed those who had been the occasion of it; Declaring their great Prophet Mahomet was Angry at their beginning so Dishonourable a War; and Teckely himself was in no small danger among them upon this Account.

Yet I never read that our Hungarians, and who, some would have all call’d Protestants, made the least scruple of the Turks denying the Emperor this Ceremony, but treated his Imperial Majesty in all Cases, as if he was a Person with whom no Measures were to be observed, breaking all their Truces and Cessations, seizing their Magazines, intercepting his Convoys, even when under Treaties and Capitulations. Continue reading Tuesday, October 10. 1704.

Tuesday, July 25. 1704.

Numb. 41.
[177]

A Grave Objector comes in now and demands, but what is all this to the English and Dutch, and what have they to do with the Quarrel between the Kings of Sweden and Poland; and last of all, if it be, what is it to the Matter in Hand, the Encrease of the French Power?

Patience, and the Process of the Story, will answer these Questions of Course. The King of Poland is our Confederate, a Member of the Grand Allyance; one, that whatever he has done to the Swede, would have assisted the Emperor with all his Forces against the growing Power of France, as appears by the Assistance he did spare him last Year, notwithstanding his own Streights, and therein we are all concern’d.

And as we have been very particular on the Royal Progenitors of the Swede, and their Glorious Actions, let us consider the King of Poland, tho’ the Changing his Religion, a thing we have nothing to do with in this Quarrel, may have prejudic’d us against his Person.

He is the Great Grandson of that famous Elector of Saxony, who joyn’d Heart and Hand with the Great Gustavus Adolphus, in that War against Ferdinand II. in which the Liberties of Germany, and the Protestant Religion were resumed from the Tyranny of the House of Austria; and who help’d to deliver Europe from Universal Slavery, then as much fear’d from the Austrian, as now from the Bourbonne Race; — That Prince who first dar’d to take up Arms against the Emperor when all was desperate, who form’d the Conclusions of Leipsick, and could never be prevail’d upon to renounce them, when all the rest of the Members of that League, the brave Landgrave of Hesse excepted, were frighted out of them by Count Tilly: That Prince who join’d his Forces with Gustavus Adolphus, and with him fought the terrible and bloody Battle of Leipsick, where Tilly and Popery were utterly routed together, which they never recovered; and from whence the Protestant Religion dates its Restoration in Germany. Continue reading Tuesday, July 25. 1704.

Saturday, June 24. 1704.

Numb. 32.
[141]

THE French Power in America was the Subject of our last; and as this could not be maintain’d without their extraordinary Conduct, as well as Success at Sea, there needs no other Satyr upon the rest of the World.

I promis’d in this Article to take Notice of their Sea Affairs; but since Experience has confirm’d what has already been said upon that Point, I leave those Gentlemen to Reflect on themselves and their Judgment now, who have Censur’d what I have already said on that Head.

We are told by the News-Papers, that Sir G—R— is in the Streights, with 45 Sail of English and Dutch Men of War, and yet we are told, that Count de Tholouse, with 29 ventured to follow into the Mediterranean; Wiser Heads than mine, say Sir G— was strong enough to fight him, and most Men say, 45 is more than 29; and yet the Paris Gazette insultingly tells us, That the Count de Tholouse was arriv’d safe at Thoulon, after having in vain, endeavour’d to fight the Confederate Fleet.

’Tis true, most People take this for a French Bluster, and so do I; But what Country bluster must this pass for, that 29 Men of War should venture into the Streights, when 45 of the Enemy were just gone before them? and all Men that know that part of the World, must know there is no Port to have secur’d himself from the Confederates, if they had been too strong for him, and it was not probable he could reach Thoulon, before Sir G—, with his Confederate Fleet, should be upon him. Continue reading Saturday, June 24. 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 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, March 4. 1704.

Numb. 3.
[17]

WE promis’d at the Conclusion of the last Paper, some Account of the Prospect of Affairs relating to the next Campaign, as a further Description of the French Greatness.

We shall Endeavour to say nothing of the French Greatness with the Air of a French Emissary; and leave as little room as possible for the Charge of Partiality; If the French Grandeur is at present the Terrour of Europe, ’tis a most Natural Consequence, that the Prodigy of the Growing Power of France is an awakening Wonder, ’tis a Text fruitful in Application, and the Consequences very useful.

’Tis true, This Age is apt to make wrong Inferences, and we are Content they should believe what they please of this Design, till the Event proves whether we are in the wrong, [18] either in making Things appear greater than they are, or in drawing abrupt and inconsistent Conclusions.

We have already given a short Scheme of the Conclusion of the last Campaign: As the French began the Campaign when the Confederates ended it, they now prepare in all Places to end it about the Time when the Confederates begin. Continue reading Saturday, March 4. 1704.