AN Historical Account OF THE MOST REMARKABLE TRANSACTIONS BETWIXT THE DUKE of SAVOY AND THE FRENCH KING: CONTAINED In several LETTERS passed betwixt Them before the Rupture.  
Translated from the Original French Copies.  

LICENCED,  
J. FRASER. October 3. 1690.   
LONDON: Printed for Richard Baldwin, near the Oxford Arms in Warwick-Lane. MDCXC.   

AN HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE Most Remarkable Transactions, etc.  

His Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy's Letter to the French King's Brother, the Duke of Orleans.  
AMONGST the great and many Troubles, under which I am at present, seeing none but You capable of giving some ease to my afflicted Spirits, I hope you'll give me leave to do what unfortunate men have only left to do; that is to say, To justify their Conduct, and to demonstrate their reasons to those that are not yet so far from all Equity, as to refuse to pity them. What have I ever done else to the King, than to serve him in the most substantial things he desired of me? Have not I sacrificed to his satisfaction the Valleys of Lucerne, to my own prejudice, and against all the principles of true Politics? Did not I consent to give him three of my Regiments, at the same instant his Ambassador made the first mention of it? Is it not evident, that to please the King, I have abandoned my Interest, my Country, and my Person, by such compliances, that have drawn upon me a great aversion of all the Protestant Powers, of the Emperor, of the King of Spain, and of all the Confederate Princes? Wherein have I ever displeased the King?  
His Ambassadors have sometimes made their complaints about some little insignificant things, at thousand of which would not be able to balance the least part of those substantial Services which I have mentioned, nor the continual marks I have given of a strict adherency to the King's Interests. A Gentleman of Nice raises, without my leave, and without desiring it, some Soldiers in the said place, against several Declarations of my Predecessors, at the same time I am there actually present: This is not enough, he lists some of those that belong to my Regiment of Guards: I have the goodness not to suffer him to be tried at the Sessions, nor his Goods be seized according to Custom; and I content myself to send him to Prison, only to prevent the ill example he had given by his behaviour: And yet, after all, they pretend to make a great business on't, as if I was obliged to suffer tamely this Insolency and Affront of one of my own Subjects in my very presence, instead that they should have taken notice of my moderation.  
I have given the King three Regiments, partly composed out of the principal Nobility of this Country; there is a considerable number of Gentlemen and others of my Subjects in those Troops; I am willing, for my greater recommendation, to give the King with my own hands such as he may desire to have above the said number: but I do not intent to give my Subjects full licence to act against the Law, and to deviate from that Loyalty they naturally own to their Sovereign. Nevertheless, those that do it, are not punished for it, their Goods are not seized, and I do expressly prohibit not to indict them for some impertinent and seditious words; neither do I trouble their Parents for it: yet, after all, if I do not applaud their exorbitancy, my past Services are forgotten, and I have no good intentions for those of His Majesty.  
There is a reciprocal agreement made about the restoring of the Deserters of the Garrison of pignerol, peruse, and Cassal, and of those of my Troops. This is not at all executed on the side of the said Garrisons; for if they restore One, they retain Fifty: and yet they make a great noise, as if the agreement was not observed on my side. Of those Troops which for the King's Service I entertained in the Valleys of Lucerne, a great many deserted to Pignerol: but the Governor pretended, either, That he had no Authority over those Deserters, because they had listed themselves amongst some Recruits which were made for other Regiments; or, That they were to be exchanged with those Troops of his Majesty that were out of the place; or they refused them sometimes downright, pretending that there was an Amnesty of the King in favour of the Deserters; as if an Amnesty of the King, that only regards those that desert in his own Kingdom, could be made use of by those that deserted out of my Troops, far from coming back, as it is expressly required in Amnesties of such nature. It has been declared at Cassal, That they would neither render nor re-take any Deserter: This is a thing I do not complain of; for there seems to be a reciprocal Equity in not ask, and in not giving back: but then the Garrison of Cassal has no reason to complain neither.  
Give me leave about this Subject to inform you of a thing that has made so great a noise. Some Officers of Pignerol having made their complaints, That some of their Deserters were to be found in the Valleys of Lucerne, I gave order, That they should be restored; and, withal, leave that they might go themselves to discover them. They took along with them a Sergeant that had deserted out of a Regiment belonging to the said Valleys: The Officers of the said Regiment seized him as soon as they saw him: I was told of it in a Letter: I gave them, according to my custom in such matters, a general Answer, that is to say, To do what they found just, having no mind to condemn the Deserters myself. The Sergeant did himself confess that he had deserted; he was tried, and condemned according to Law. Should a Deserter not have been seized, that had the impudence to come before his Officers, to encourage (by his so fine example) the rest of the Regiment to desert as well as He? Does the agreement made to restore the Deserters, mention, not to take them ourselves when they are to be found in our own Territories, from whence they deserted, only because some Officers had the impudence to take them along with them? Ought we to think that it is the King's pleasure that we leave off being Sovereigns in Foreign Countries, when a Criminal is at the suit of a French Officer, and that there be no Justice for them there? Ought we to think that he would have us take there more care, than in his own Kingdom? And yet this is the very thing that has been so much exaggerated, to prove that I have no good intentions for the King's Service.  
They have continued secretly to raise Soldiers in my Territories for the King's Service: They are exhausted of Men; I cannot find enough to complete my own Regiments. I endeavour to retain my own Subjects by some slight demonstrations, without troubling those any more that do not observe it, setting at liberty those that have been imprisoned, as soon as they desire it. So great a moderation is not at all taken notice of; as if a Sovereign ought to contribute himself to the exhausting his Country of Men, and that he ought to leave off making use of his own Subjects, only to be employed in the King's Service, without seeming to take notice of it, without being asked or thanked for it.  
Some years ago, the King desiring to make some Recruits in Savoy for his Regiments of Rousillon and St. Laurent, did consent that I might make some Recruits for my service in the Provinces of Dauphine, Lionnois, and Provence: And tho' those Recruits are very expensive, and come to nothing at all, by reason of the great number of those that desert either on the way, or as soon as they are arrived in this Country; yet I never failed to give order in Savoy, as often as the Officers of the said Regiment arrived there with a Letter of Monsieur de Louvois, to let them make their Recruits. It has been represented some few months ago, to two or three Officers that were come for the same purpose, That Savoy was exhausted of Men; that it had very much suffered the last year, endeavouring to hinder the Incursions of those of Lucerne, and some French Protestants; and that to continue to contribute to the King's satisfaction, there would, according to all appearance, be no less difficulty this year to furnish enough Men to the same end; desiring the said Officers to put off their Recruits till some more convenient time. The Count de Rebenac having spoke something of it here, the same reasons were made known to him; withal telling him, That it was no refusal, but only a putting it off for a better time, to make the said Recruits with so much the more conveniency; and tho' he seemed to be satisfied with these just reasons, yet endeavours have been made to draw an ill consequence out of it, to the prejudice of my good intentions for the King's Service; as if the various troubles of this poor Country, which it has been forced to undergo, were not evident to all the world, and that is only with a design to contribute to his Majesty's satisfaction.  
I have endeavoured to find some legal means to prevent the open Cheats which the ordinary Expresses of Lions commit, to the prejudice of my Customs. The Posthouse of Turin has been transferred to a more convenient place, that indeed is much nearer to the Custom-house; but that has no entering there yet, without changing any thing that was usual before: the said Expresses refuse to go to the Custom-house; they come in with some Wagons laden with Merchandise, commit all manner of abuses without end, and merely out of spite; and yet I have suffered for some considerable time, with an unpresidented moderation, all these Proceed, that could not be practised in the least Town that has some right of Liberty.  
You know what has passed concerning the Prince of Carignan. Why is it not possible that I can altogether forget it? for I do not remember, but with the greatest affliction in the world, that I have been forced to exile out of my Territories the first Prince of my Blood; Why, because he did marry.  
I run over and examine all my Actions, and I find nothing else that in the least can be taken hold of by those that please themselves to censure my Actions before the King, than my journey to Venice, which the Marquis of Arcy has so often talked of before and after it. I confess, that I was very glad to have an opportunity to know the Duke of Bavaria, and to see at the same time the so much-renowned City of Venice. I protest, That I did not think nor resolve on't, till at a time when I could not make it known to the King, and receive his advice, without losing the opportunity of executing my design. I beseech you seriously to consider of what ill consequence it could be, and what reason the King has to complain of it, since I did not do it, when my Father of blessed memory went to Milan for the same reason, and that I did not know the King did meddle with Travels that other Princes undertake. Sure it is, that what has followed, has made it evident, that there was nothing in this Journey but what is good, honest, and that no body can disapprove.  
It ought not to be forgotten, That I have not always been willing to grant what some Ambassadors residing here, have desired of me for some particular persons; for such things are for the most part drawn from them by my own Subjects, solicited by some petty Secretaries for a particular interest. Besides, that some reservedness in this case is very necessary, if we are not willing to be troubled every day, and at every hour with suchlike recommendations.  
This is all I assure you, I can remember of things passed; but now I intent to speak to you about things of a fresher date, till to the time that Monsieur Cattinat did explain himself about some limited Orders he did receive from Court, by the coming back of his Nephew.  
I come for this reason to the Concessions I obtained from the Emperor about the Privilege of Crowned Heads, and some Feofs of the Empire hereabouts, that are very convenient for me. If this business had not been managed with all possible secrecy in this Country, it would not have had the least success, by reason of some opposition it would have met with from some Vassals of the Empire; and if several Princes had had some notice of my treating about the said Privilege, it would have been spoiled at its very beginning. This business does not concern the King, either directly or indirectly, and yet I was resolved to make it known to him before any body else; and I had certainly done it, if I had not been prevented by him. You say, It is Money that goes to the King's Enemies: It has been designed for the War against the Turks; and it is so very inconsiderable, considering the Persons it went to, that the King wrongs his Greatness and Power to take notice on't. The King may easily engage me to do the same thing for Him, by some considerable effects of his favour; and, in fine, he is too just to desire to deprive a Sovereign Prince, that has the honour to be so near related to him, of that Right of Nature, of Buying, Selling, and making Bargains, and regulate to his liking those things that do not in the least concern him. There are so many others that treat with the Emperor, and which the King does not find fault with, that it was the least thing I could expect, after all the marks I have given him of my zeal, and that he would be rather pleased to see that I-had not lost an opportunity which, perhaps, might not have been recovered all my life-time, to obtain the honour of Crowned Heads, and to open myself away to the possession of the Imperial Feofs hereabouts, seeing that it was for the King's Interests, that they should be rather in my hands than in any bodies else.  
You'll object, without doubt, That the King having made known to me by his Ambassadors his disliking of this Affair, I should accordingly have left it. I was mightily displeased it was then no more left in my power, having already got the Emperor's Provisionals, insomuch that my Honour was engaged, by having given my Word; which a Prince, and every honest man, aught to value more than his Life; after which, I made no reflection of part of the Money that was already paid, the rest of it being paid a little after by Bills of Exchange. The only reason why Crowns were so much looked for in this City, and that some were coined in my Mint, was, to pay the Merchant with some advantage, that had advanced the said Bills. Speak, Sir, how was it possible, and how could the King, without violating his natural Equity, and that admirable Judgement which appears in all his Actions, oblige me to break my Word? And I am still inclined to believe, that, after second thoughts, he'll approve my being careful of acquiring two things that do not concern Him in the least, and that are very advantageous to me.  
Give me leave also to answer some other Complaints which the Ambassador of his Majesty, and Monsieur Catinat, have mingled in their Discourse, and which partly you yourself have made to the Marquis of Dogliani, my Ambassador, to wit, that I was treating with His Imperial Majesty, with the King of Spain, with England and Holland. To convince his Majesty that this was a false Supposition, I have writ you several times that it was not true: If you do but know me well, you'll easily be convinced, that this is more than a sufficient proof; for I had rather lose all, than tell you a lie. In the mean time I informed the Pope by my Resident, I have writ to him, and his Nuntio that had showed the Letter to Monsieur Cattinat, that it was not true, and that there had nothing passed, neither was there any thing on foot against his Majesty's Interest: that on the contrary, I had done several things against common Civility, and directy against my own Interest, out of fear of displeasing him; having had no Ministers at the Emperor's, and the Catholic King's Court, to behave myself in this point according to the Marquis of Arcy's direction, who could not suffer so much, as some Gentlemen of my Subjects going into Hungary to improve themselves in the Art of War. As for England, the same reason has hindered me that I have sent no answer to an obliging Letter from thence: and concerning the States-General, they have writ to me a Letter, not long ago, in favour of the Vaudois; I desired to be excused of doing what they desired, and that is the only Correspondence I have had with them.  
There has been something mentioned of Intelligence I kept with certain men in Dauphine; this is an Invention of the same stamp with the rest, but with this difference, that I have reason to hope, that by the falsity of this Lie it will be judged, that the rest is of no better soundation. In fine, I am willing to submit myself to the Judgement of His Holiness, or the Commonwealth of Venice, or some other Power that I have not just reason to suspect; but the King himself, by making some just Reflections according to his great Understanding, may easily see the falsity of all these Accusations. And to be plain with you; After the hard usage I just now receive, it ought to be less strange, that those who have surprised His Majesty's Equity, as to persuade him to such extremes with me, have endeavoured to give some few, though false colours, to their Pretences.  
I beseech you, Sir, to make a parallel of what substantial things I have actually done for the King's Service, with the said Pretences, and to judge if those solid marks I have given of my zeal for the King's Interest, do not altogether destroy them; and if it be not against common sense, to put them into a parallel? Throw your eyes upon what follows. Monsieur de Rebenac, the King's Ambassador, arrives in this Country; he takes pains to assure me of the King's goodness in regard to my Person: I answer it with those earnest protestations so often repeated by Me and my Ministers, of my great acknowledgement and zeal for the King's Service, that ought fully to persuade him of it. He desires me to drive the rest of my Subjects out of the Valleys; I do consent to it; he does nothing but entertain me about that business, and the King's favourable Opinion he has of me. Monsieur Cattinat arrives at Pignerol, he comes to see me in this City; the Projects against the Vaudois seems to be his only design; he speaks to me about it as the only cause of his coming. I do easily believe it, I let him see a List of all my Troops, and that they are not enough to furnish Garrisons for my Fortresses, and to send them to such Places where my Service requires their presence; and nevertheless I resolve to furnish him with a considerable Detachment: He seems to be satisfied; he desires to have at Pignerol a Conference with my Officers; I send them to him: All his thoughts seem to be employed about this Design; he makes all seeming preparations for it; he says that his Commission regards more those parts that are of this, than the other side of Pignerol; that it was necessary to make all haste to make an end of the business with the Vaudois, and he seems to concern himself with nothing else. In the mean time there happened an Insurrection in Mondovi; to appease that, I sent thither some of my Troops, and some few of those that are at Lucerne. Monsieur Catinat lets me know, that seeing I was engaged about the Business of Mondovi, if I could not assist him with the same number of Troops I had promised, I should let him have at least a part of it. I gave Orders to send him a Detachment of 400 Men; he seems to be satisfied. It Snows very much in the Valleys, so there is no Action there. Some few days after, having made an end of the business of Mondovi, and coming back to Turin, I understand, that the King's Troops which we thought were designed for Burgundy, Catalogne, and against the Protestants in the Valleys, did advance towards the Borders of my Territories. This Report is confirmed by the discourse of His Majesty's Principal Officers, who make it public, that they intended to put the Duchy of my Land under Contribution, and accordingly they dispersed there some Papers that intimated the same. No body speaks to me about the Passage; I judge that the King has a mind either to take it by force, or that he desires I should offer it. I do it with all the Security of going and coming back, and all the conveniency of Provisions in my Territories, with all possible Protestations of my Zeal to serve him. But this signifies nothing, Monsieur Catinat desires some Commissaries to explain himself about the King's Intentions. I send him two Persons to Pignerol. He tells them in general Terms, That the King is not satisfied with my Behaviour; that he had received Orders to enter his Troops into my Territories, that he would give them Bread, but that I was to furnish them with Forage, and with a pound of Flesh each Soldier; and gives a hint that he would write to me something more particular. Those Villages through which he enters into my Territories, give him what he desires; after he is entered there, he desires of me in a Letter, to send him some Body, to whom he might explain himself: I sent to him the Marquis of Ferrero, whom you formerly knew as my Ambassador. Monsieur Catinat gins with General Complaints; and ends with telling him, that the King expects I should send into France over the Bridge of Beauvoisin 2000 Foot, and two Regiments of Dragoons of my Troops, and that I was to resolve upon't in 48 hours, in case I had no other Proposals to make. The Marquis Ferrero did all he could, to let him see a second time the little Grounds of his Complaints, the great occasion I had for my own Troops, and in fine, offers him a League defensive. But Monsieur Catinat persisting in his demands, he assures him, That I would send those Troops over the Bridge Beauvoisin into His Majesty's Service. Monsieur Catinat seems to be very glad of it, and told the Marquis of Ferrero, That henceforth we should look upon His Majesty's Troops as our Friends, and in assurance of it, Countermands the March to Grugliasch near Turin, because the said Marquis had made some mention about it. I writ to the Count Provane, whom I thought to be at Paris, to Represent to the King, what the Marquis Ferrero had told Monsieur Catinat without any Success, and to add some Proposals to satisfy the King about the Troops, with the Advantage of His Majesty's Service, and the least Prejudice of my own. What will you say, when you hear, that neither Monsieur Catinat's, nor my Express could not at all return; that he leaves briskly Veillane, and comes to Orbassan, from whence he sends a Commissary to let me know, that the Troops were not enough to satisfy the King, that he desires some other assurance of my good Intentions for the King's Service; that he did not positively know what it was, but believed it might regard some place. That Monsieur Catinat expects an Answer in Twenty four hours; that it was about Eight or Nine, that about the same time to morrow he did expect some Proposals, for want of which he would begin to commit Hostilities. I send him the Abbot of Verrue; Monsieur Catinat repeats his Complaints, and desires some Assurance of my good Intentions. He is desired to tell, if he had any Power from the King to Treat. He answers, That he has none, but that he may accept some places in the King's Name. We desire to know what Place he expects; he makes some difficulty to tell it, and desires we should guests it; at last he says, That the Communication of Pignerol, and the Citadel of Cassal must be assured; but says at the same time, they made no Reflection upon the new City of Ast.  
The Pope's Nuntio goes to him, in order to accommodate Matters betwixt us; he shows him my Letter, wherein I assure him, That I was no ways a treating against the King, no, not so much as in my Thoughts; but all this without effect. The Marquis Ferrero, and the Abbot of Verrue return thither, they hear nothing but the same things repeated. The Marquis Ferrero returns thither once more alone, with a Letter from the Marquis de S. Thomas, wherein he shows my readiness to satisfy the King, with an assurance of my good intentions. He is extremely surprised to hear out of Mounsieur Catinat's own mouth, that he had not spoken of an assurance in the singular, but in the plural number; that he had given it sufficiently to understand to the Abbot of Verrue, yet it seemed to be the same thing to that Abbot, and to the Commissary, to speak in the Plural, instead of the Singular Number, as they have done both. But Mounsieur Catinat, who aimed at his ends, persisted in this Opinion, and declared afterwards, that there was nothing but the Citadel of Turin and Verrue that could satisfy the King; that in case they were not put in 24 Hours into his hands, he could not longer defer to commit Hostilities; as if the entering with an Army into a Country, and to make them subsist at the expenses of the People, were great marks of Friendship: And yet he would by no means, nay he had no Power to treat about the conditions, which is in plain English to live at discretion.  
In this great extremity, seeing my People at the Mercy of a Foreign Army, I thought fit to give myself the Honour to send to the King a Letter, the Copy of which I have joined to this, and sent it to Mounsieur Catinat by the Count of Marcenaese. He agreed to suspend all actions of Hostilities, and dispatched immediately his Nephew to carry the Letter to the King with all possible speed. And indeed, his speed was so great, that he was but few Hours above a seven-night a going and coming. Mounsieur Catinat gave me notice of his Arrival by sending me His Majesty's Answer, the Copy of which I have also joined to this. I confess I was mightily troubled to see a Letter writ with so much reservedness, and that did not give me the least sign of the King's reconciling to me, which I did expect; and far from giving me the least hopes about the restoring of my Places, he gives me sufficiently to understand, that he required long proofs of my Affection before he could be persuaded of it; insomuch, that if these things altogether false and supposititious, and some other slight ones, could so easily persuade him to the depriving me of the said Places, would he ever want some pretences to retain them? I sent nevertheless the Marquis Ferrero and the Marquis of S. Thomas to Monsieur Catinat with a full Power to Treat. They endeavoured to acquaint themselves with his Power and his Sentiments: The first was in very good form, but the other answered little my expectation.  
For beginning with the Troops, instead that he had always said they were to go into France, by way of the Bridge of Beauvoisin, he insists that they were to join his Army that was to act against the Duchy of Milan, and consequently engage myself into an offensive War, without knowing why, or who in the same manner as Tributaries are obliged to March, putting my Territories to the discretion of Friends as well as Enemies, and making it the Seat of War, and in case it should have been the King's interest to recall his Troops out of Italy, I should have been left to the Mercy of a Powerful Enemy, whom I had drawn upon me, without having the least reason to complain of it; to all which Mounsieur Catinat did only Answer, That he would promise the King should never call back his Troops, before I was sufficiently secured of my Enemies. You may judge if so slight a promise was security enough to a Prince, who should have offended all his Neighbours, only to please a King that desires my Troops, my best places, and to make my Territories the seat of War, pretending these were the only means left to keep me in his Favour. In fine, all what these Ministers represented to him about it, signified nothing at all, and Monsieur Catinat strongly persisted to have my Troops, not to send them into France, as he had always said, but to act against the Duchy of Milan. When they were about the point of the Citadel, it was always hoped that the King would have given order to Monsieur Cattinat, to accept some equivalent, as I had desired of His Majesty, but without success. It was represented, that I would be exposed in that Town to the capriciousness of a Governor, and to some other accidents that happen but too often between the Citizens and a Foreign Garrison; that they must have found some expedient to secure me against it. Monsieur Catinat did, indeed, propose, that the little Gate, towards the Town, should only be opened, and that the Soldiers should be kept in a very strict Discipline. Judge, I beseech you Sir, of the delicacy of these expedients. At last he says, that this was not foreseen; that they would make an Inventory of what they found in the Citadel, and that it should be restored by a Peace. Do not be angry, that I tell you, that the little success my great submission to the King met with, and the great persistance of desiring the Citadel, without making choice of some other place in Piedmont, did augment my troubles, seeing I must either leave my Capital City, or live there without either dignity or security. I sent again my Chancellor, and the Marquis Mouroux, to Monsieur Catinat, to make a new trial about my Troops, and to see if there was some hopes left to find some expedient about the Citadel; but they found neither one nor the other. I send my Chancellor again to him the same day, to make some new endeavour. He proposed to Monsieur Catinat some plausible means, which he rejected; It was, that I would put the Citadel into the Pope's, or the Switzer's hands; That the Governor should be to the King's liking; That the Garrison should be paid by His Majesty; and that the Governor should promise, that in case I should really do any thing against the King's interest, he would put the Citadel into his hands. The same Expedient was very near made use of by the late King your Father, being in this Country in person, much more might His Majesty have been satisfied with it, having Pignerol, Cassal, Verrue, and some of my Troops in his possession. In fine, the refusing of so generous proposals, has made the Idea of my misfortunes so much the more terrible, having nothing for my security; but finding that at the same manner as Monsieur Catinat having fixed my Troops, and seemed to be pleased about my consenting to it, yet did nevertheless make some new demands, so far above the former, as also the desiring first of my Troops going into France, by way of the Bridge of Beauvoisin, and then the insisting on the joining of them with his Army; so after being in possession of the Citadel and Verrue, he may make some more extravagant demands: For, in fine, to be plain, after one thing is done without reason, we must expect to do a great many more.  
I have not been able to put out of my troubled Mind some Reflections I made about the King's breaking a Defensive League made for his Service, and at his Desire, without any Formality, and without saying the least obliging word. He has broken it by two Lines in his Letter, in which he tells his Ambassador, That after the Month was passed he would pay no more the 100000 Crowns according to our Treaty.  
I could never obtain the sending back of my three Regiments I have sent to serve his Majesty, though it was expressly said, That he would send them back as soon as I had occasion for them. The necessity of which has been evident enough. He has obliged me to raise some Troops which I stood in no neccessity of. How could I be assured that the Treaty, and Monsieur Catinat's Promises, would have been more solid, and stricter observed, when two Places of so great importance as the Citadel of Turin and Verrue are, should have been restored? If there be any difference, it is this, that it would have been easier to continue a League Defensive, to send back the three Regiments according to the agreement, than to render the  Places: These words, to give and to render, are very hard to be executed; and he that is forced to give, has great reason to avoid it as much as he can, and he that resolves upon't, ought to prepare himself for patience; for he that finds himself obliged to render, has no less pains to persuade himself to it. Monsieur Catinat did pretend, that the Letter I writ to the King was an Engagement. I beseech you to judge of it by what you'll find in the Margin of a Copy of the said Letter which I send you.  
In sine, Sir, after all the ill usage I received from the King, I am sure, if he would give himself the trouble to hear the reading of this Letter, he would not desire to be Judge of this Affair; and if he did desire it, I seriously believe he could not hinder himself from pronouncing in my favour.  
My Chancellor has writ a Letter to Monsieur Catinat, of which I send you a Copy, as also another of his Answer. After which having demanded Contributions in my Territories, and I hearing of nothing but Threaten, was forced to accept the Succours, which those that always looked upon me as a Frenchman, had the generosity to offer me in this great Extremity to which I am reduced; which I did not consent to, till after I had left no Stone unturned to keep me from that necessity. This is so very great, that I do not think to flatter myself so much, as to believe that all Europe will pity me, without excepting the most generous and just Men in France. Good God how was it possible it should be for the King's Interest to oppress a Prince, who has the honour to be so near related him, who has given him such Substantial marks of his Zeal and Affection, whose Countries are surrounded by those of his Majesty's, and who by the rest of the World is taken to be a Frenchman? What will those Princes say, which France would fain separate from the contrary party? Is it not as much as to let them know, that they have no Hopes, and to fear all, considering the usage I receive? Is the World not enough informed of the vast Designs of France, without discovering them so much in desiring to drive me out of the Citadel of my ordinary Residence, and another very considerable Place? Will the Princes of Italy believe that it is in order to defend them from their Enemies, of which they have none? or, to open the way to some greater Conquests, making the beginning by him, who far from fearing any Enterprises from him had all reason in the World to rely on his Protection? Pardon, Sir, the prolixity of this Letter, and do not ascribe it to any thing but to justify to you my Behaviour, after having made use of all humane Prudence could furnish me with. I hope that God Almighty will not abandon the Justice of my Cause, that he'll fortify my weakness; and that the consolation of a Prince, whom they endeavour to drive out of a part of that he has inherited from his Ancestors, will be the darling Work of Divine Providence. Pity me in my Misfortunes, but assure yourself, that having nothing to reproach me with, I look upon it with Courage; and in case I should happen to be a Prince without a Country (which by God's Assistance I hope I shall not) I'll nevertheless maintain those Sentiments, and that greatness of Soul, which is answerable to my Birth, and worthy of a Son, that intends to honour you as a Father all his Life-time, and that ever will be entirely yours.  
Since the writing of this Letter, I have received one from Monsieur Catinat, which I send you a Copy of, as as also of the Answer I sent him, and how he did reply to it. Methinks that after what has passed, I am not in the wrong to desire to treat in Writing, and that all the World will easily agree, that it is a mark of the uprightness of my Proceed, and the sincerity of my Intentions, assuring you again, that what Monsieur Catinat mentions about a precedent Engagement, is nothing but a mere Pretence, and that I have had none, either with the Emperor or the Catholic King till the third of this Month, when Monsieur Catinat cut off all manner of Treaties, and intimated Contributions to several of my Territories.  
This Letter was not sent till June the 24th, 1690.   

His Royal Highness' Letter to the French King, May the 20th, 1690.  
Monsieigneur,  
I Am infinitely troubled to see that those false Colours which I have been blackened with in the Eyes of your Majesty, have had so much power over your Mind, as to deprive me of the honour of your Favour, which I have always valued more than my life. I have nothing left in this extremity as consolation of being able to justify myself before your Majesty, but that I have not drawn this Misfortune upon me by the least want of Zeal for your Royal Service, of which I'll make a Glory to continue to give some real Marks on all Occasions. When Monsieur Catinat let me know, you desired part of my Troops, of which I have not very many; I did assure him that your Majesty was Master of them, and that they were to pass the Mountains immediately to go to serve your Majesty. He has given me since to understand, that your Will and Pleasure was, to have some places in Piedmont in assurance of my good Intentions; and although your Majesty stands in no need of any other Assurance, than that of my Heart, which is entirely yours, yet having desired Monsieur Catinat to speak somewhat plainer, and he having at last told me that the Citadel of Turin and Verrue were aimed at, I am ready to give your Majesty so substantial a proof of my submission, as the delivery of those two places into your hands will be, humbly entreating you, that you would be pleased to do it upon such Terms, as a Prince that has the honour to be so near related to you, may reasonably expect from the Goodness and Generosity of so great a King; but if your Majesty would be pleased to make choice of some other place in Piedmont instead of the Citadel of Turin, that I might continue to live there with the dignity of a Sovereign, your Majesty would infinitely oblige me. I humbly implore your Majesty's Generosity for it, as also that you would be pleased to hear the Count Provane my Ambassador, who will sufficiently satisfy your Majesty about the ill-grounded Suspicions your Majesty has been inspired with concerning my Behaviour, and who will renew to your Majesty all the sincere Protestations of my Zeal and Respect, assuring you, that I intent to be all my Life-time, etc.   

A plain Interpretation of the true Meaning of his Royal Highness' Letter to the French King, against Monsieur Catinat's Opinion; who pretends that it is a downright Engagement to deliver up to him the Citadel of Turin and Verrue.  
WE do not intent in order to exclude his Pretensions, to waste much time in consideration, that all was done by a greater Force, not to say by a manifest Violence, and with threats of Acts of Hostility, against a surprised and disarmed Prince, in case he did not surrender the Citadel of the very place of his Residence, and another of his best Places, in 24 Hours, though no Body be able to make the least reply against this Reason, and that no Body waves to neglect the Obligation of an Engagement, if it be drawn from him by Force. His Royal Highness finds that Monsieur Catinat puts him to such Extremes, that he desires the said Citadel and Verrue, without having any power to treat about it, and without being willing to give him time to send, with all possible speed, an Express to the King, nor suspend the Acts of Hostility.  
His Royal Highness has no other Means to put off for a while the Ruin of Piedmont, than to write so submissive a Letter to the King, that Monsieur Catinat rests satisfied with it, and sends it to his Majesty by his Nephew, who did but a Week stay upon the Way. No Consequence can be drawn from this, that may put a strict Obligation upon his Royal Highness, as he was willing to believe.  
But let us leave the Reasons that forced his Royal Highness to write the Letter in so ambiguous a manner as could have the Effect he so much stood in need of; and let us come to the true meaning of the said Letter. No Body can deny, that those Clauses that in some respect depend on one another, and that in general make the sense of the Letter, ought not to be separated from it; neither can it be denied, that some Terms of Respect and Submission, one of a lesser Quality makes use of towards one of a Greater, be obligatory in a literal sense; and when one writes to a great Person, that All one has is at his Service, that he may absolutely dispose of it, it be only a very obliging Expression, that signifies nothing, and consequently lays no positive Obligation on him that made the Compliment. When a Sovereign has a mind to some rich Hang, Jewels, a House, a Park, or a Castle, belonging to his Subjects, these will certainly answer, that every Thing belonging to them is at his Service, thinking themselves happy to have something in their possession that does please him. But do you think, that upon these very words the Sovereign may challenge it as a Gift? And a Letter of the same nature, is it enough to give a Sovereign a good Title to it, without an evident Oppression? And if it be so in regard of a Sovereign towards his Subjects, much more ought it to be observed by a King towards a Prince, who is infinitely below him; but who in the mean time is a free Prince and Sovereign in his Territories.  
Now if to such Expressions be added, the word of Petitioning to Consent, or to be pleased to reflect, or some such other Terms, this Addition destroys entirely the Force of this preceding Expression, this term Petitioner having no signification of itself, if it has no relation to what has been said before. But let us come to our Letter again. The beginning of it, till to Monsieur Catinat's Name, is only a representation of the Wrong which has been done to his Royal Highness, in making him as black as Hell to the King: he assures that he is able to justify himself, which shows his Oppression to be so much the greater, because it has been done without Reason; and the want of that Reason ought to dispose him that has been misled, of giving over those Pretences that were the Effect of it?  
The following Paragraph, that speaks about the Troops, is positive, and shows clearly, that his Royal Highness has assured the King, that the King is Master of those Troops Monsieur Catinat has desired of him, and that were immediately to pass the Mountains to go to his Majesty's Service. But let us consider if his Royal Highness explains himself in the same manner about the Places, though it be with all respect, and in the most obliging manner in the World. It is first said, That his Majesty stands in no need of such an Assurance as he desires: then his Royal Highness does not say that he gives, but that he is ready to give this so substantial Proof of his submission in delivering up the said Places. Here is the pretended ground of the French Interpretation, they suppose that his Majesty gives the said Places, that he engages himself precisely to surrender them; but there is a great difference between giving and being ready to give; and this term that is supposed by them to be positive, signifies nothing, if you add to it the condition which is undoubtedly implied by the word Entreating, that signifies nothing all alone, and is grounded upon the remission of the Places by a conditional Term, insomuch that the supposed offering to give, is nothing at all, except the Condition that is set to it be fully cleared; and no Body denies that it is an Offering with a Condition, that affirms nothing in itself, without this Condition following be made clear by a necessary Consequence.  
Therefore there are required some Conditions, in the Plural Number, as the Letter mentions it: But what will these Conditions be? They cannot be Arbitrary to the King; they would be no Conditions if they should absolutely depend on him. It must be such Conditions which the other Party, I mean his Royal Highness, agrees to; and this so much the more, because the Business is not about a mutual Contract, nor a thing which both Parties are equally concerned in, but to deprive a Prince of two most principal Parts of his Crown, without either Right or Reason, but a mere desire only which the more Powerful has to get the Goods of him that is more Feeble, and who has so much the more reason not to deprive himself of it, whatever Compliments he has made to the more Powerful; and if at last he does consent to it, the Conditions ought without doubt to be to his liking.  
And in case we had a mind to stick to the literal Sense of the Letter; it is not said the King may make such Conditions as he pleases, but such as a Prince, that has the Honour to be so near related to him, aught to expect from his Goodness and Generosity. Now, what ought such a Prince to expect from the Goodness and Generosity of such a King, but that he should rest satisfied with his Submissions, without being willing to force him to give him his own? Had he not reason to believe, that if it came to the worst, the King would choose another Place instead of the Citadel: And what Condition could his Royal Highness propose to himself in his Favour, that might not have been far below of what he might have expected from the King's Goodness and Generosity? According to the literal Sense of the Letter, the King's Goodness and Generosity is plainly supposed; and how will you be able to make Violence and Oppression agree with Goodness and Generosity in the same Subject, after the reserving of suchlike Conditions? The Petition that follows being directed to a great King, are the true Conditions which ought to be hoped for, and which his Royal Highness has always expected. And in effect it was not easily understood, why Monsieur Catinat had no Orders from the King about it; which made his Royal Highness justly fear, that there was something more in the Matter, that was not at all designed for his Good.  
In fine, his Royal Highness entreats the King to hear the Count of Provane, who had full Instructions and Power to treat about this Business: The King has not thought it worth his while to hear him, and Monsieur Catinat proposes nothing that gives the least security to his Royal Highness. Methinks it has sufficiently been proved, that no Body can pretend that the Letter his Royal Highness has writ to the King, does engage him to a downright delivering up the Citadel; and that if any thing has been offered, it has been done upon Terms, and such as ought entirely to be to his Royal Highness' liking.   

The French King's Answer to his Royal Highness the Duke of Savoy's Letter, dated May the 24th, 1690.  
Dear Brother,  
I Understand with great satisfaction, by your Letter which Monsieur Catinat has sent me, the Resolution you have taken to put into my Hands the Citadel of Turin and Verrue; and seeing that the Count of Provane is not here, and that if I should stay for his arrival, to hear what he has to say to me from your Part, there would be wasted a considerable Time, in which the march of my Troops towards the Duchy of Milan would be put off; I thought fit to send to the Sieur Catinat, a full Power to receive those Places in my Name; and in the mean time I am willing to assure you, by this Letter, that I have been very much troubled to find myself obliged to give Orders for my Troops entering your Territories; and that as soon as I shall have no cause to doubt of your Zeal for my Interest, and of that constant Affection for my Crown, of which most of your Ancestors have given many substantial Proofs, I will render you my Friendship with pleasure, and do that for you which your near Relation gives you reason to hope for.  
I am, etc.   

His Royal Highness' Chancellor's Letter to Monsieur Catinat, June the 3d, 1690.  
SIR,  
HIS Royal Highness has been extremely troubled to understand, by what I have told him of your invincible Resistance, to accept those Proposals I have made you in his Name, the Misfortune he has not to be able to satisfy his Majesty, and to see that so many extraordinary Endeavours of his to please him, have been altogether unsuccessful. It is without doubt the Effect of my little Capacity to make them agreeable, which I am also hearty sorry for. But thinking that his Royal Highness' Proposals concerning the Places and Troops, were so very liberal and just, that they wanted no Art of Rhetoric, I received with pleasure his Orders to make them known to you. I wish with all my Heart that you would be pleased to assist me with your great Experience of the Affairs of the World, to find out some other more successful Expedient. I will do all that lies in my Power to make them acceptable to his Royal Highness, as also to let you see by my care, the Honour I have to be really yours, etc.   

Monsieur Catinat's Answer to the Chancellor's Letter, dated June the 3d, 1690.  
SIR,  
I Have received the Letter, you have done me the honour to write to me, which I find to be writ with the same Spirit as all his Royal Highness' Ministers have discovered to me in our Conversations. I have found nothing that has been positive in all the Treaties I have had the honour to have about a Business of so great Consequence, except the Promises that have been made to the King by his Royal Highness, in a Letter which he has had the honour to write to him with his own Hand.  
I am, etc.   

Monsieur Catinat's Letter to his Royal Highness, June the 16th, 1690.  
Monsiegneur,  
I Have to day received an Express from his Majesty with such Orders, that may give some means to your Royal Highness to help yourself out of those Extremes which you yourself have drawn upon you. For this Reason I beseech your Royal Highness to send to me two or three of your Ministers, whom you have most confidence in, that I may make it known to them; for the going and coming of which I take the liberty to send you Passports. I humbly beseech your Royal Highness to do me the honour to believe that I am, with a deep respect, etc.   

His Royal Highness' Answer to Monsieur Catinat's Letter, dated June the 17th, 1690.  
YOU have as many Witnesses as you have Soldiers, of what I have suffered, to show my respect for, and readiness to serve the King your Master. You know I did consent to your Demand, about some of my Troops going into France; that you showed a great satisfaction about it to the Marquis Ferrero, as if it had been your only design in my regard, and that you told him we should hence forth look upon the King's Troops as Friends. Nevertheless, some few days after you wanted some of my strong Places; afterwards you desired that, contrary to your first Proposals, my Troops were not to go into France, but to join your Army in order to act against the Duchy of Milan. After which you see that I have reason to wish, that in case you had something to propose to me, you would do it in Writing, and I will do the same. This is all that I can say at present in Answer to your Letter, and that I will always preserve those Sentiments of esteem for you, with which I am, etc.   

Monsieur Catinat's Reply to his Royal Highness' Answer, June the 17th, 1690.  
Monsiegneur,  
I Have received the Letter your Royal Highness has done me the honour to write to me, in which your Intentions are so clear and evident to follow those Engagements you have embraced a great while ago, that it is needless to propose you any thing in Writing that may give some means to recover the Honour of his Majesty's Favour. I am, with all that respect that is owing to you.   
FINIS.   

Books Printed for Richard Baldwin.  
A True Relation of the Cruelties and Barbarities of the French, upon the English Prisoners of War. Being a Journal of their Travels from Dinan in Britain, to Thoulon in Provence, and back again. With a Description of the Situation, and Fortifications of all the Eminent Towns upon the Road, and their Distance. Of their Prisons and Hospitals, and the Number of Men that died under their Cruelty; With the Names of many of them, and the Places of their Deaths and Burials: With an Account of the great Charity and Sufferings of the poor Protestants of France; And other material Things that happened upon the Way.  
The Memoirs of Monsieur Deageant; containing the most secret Transactions and Affairs, from the Death of Henry iv till the beginning of the Ministry of the Cardinal de Richelieu. To which is added, a particular Relation of the Archbishop of Embrun's Voyage into England, and of his Negotlation for the Advancement of the Roman Catholic Religion here; together with the Duke of Buckingham's Letters to the said Archbishop, about the Progress of that Arfair; which happened the last Years of King James I. his Reign. Faithfully translated out of the French Original.  
The Cabinet Opened; or, The Secret History of the Amours of Madam de Maintenon with the French King. Translated from the French Copy.  
The History of the most Illustrious William Pr. of Orange; Deduced from the first Founders of the Ancient House of Nassau; together with the most considerable Actions of this present Prince. The second Edition.  
A Collection of Fourteen Papers, relating to the Affairs of Church and State, in the Reign of late King James.  
The Character of a Trimmer. His Opinion of, I. The Laws and Government. II. The Protestant Religion. III. The Papists. IU. Foreign Affairs. By the Honourable Sir William Coventry. The third Edition, carefully Corrected, and cleared from the Errors of the first Impression.  
An Impartial Relation of the Illegal Proceed against St. Mary Magdalen College in Oxon, in the Year of our Lord 1687. Containing only Matters of Fact as they occurred. The Second Edition. To which is added the most Remarkable Passages omitted in the former. Collected by a Fellow of the said College.  
The Justice of the Parliament, in inflicting of Punishments subsequent to Offenders vindicated; and the Lawfulness of the present Government asserted.  
An Account of Mr. Parkinson's Expulsion from the University of Oxford, in late Times; in vindication of him from the false Aspersions cast upon him, in a late Pamphler, Entitled, The History of Passive Obedience.  
The Way to Peace among all Protestants; being a Letter of Reconciliation, sent by Bp Ridley, to Bp Hooper. By Mr. Sam. Johnson.  
Purgatory proved by Miracles; collected out of Roman-Catholick Authors. With some Remarkable Histories relating to British, English, and Irish Saints. With a Preface concerning their Miracles. By Mr. Sam. Johnson.  
A Seasonable Discourse, showing the unreasonableness and Mischiefs of Imposition in Matters of Religion; Recommended to a serious Consideration. By Mr. Andr. Marvel, late Member of Parliament.  
The Revolter. A Tragicomedy, acted between the Hind and Panther, and Religio Laici.  
A Collection of Poems, Satyrs, and Songs, against Popery and Tyranny. In four Parts. Most of them writ by the late Duke of Buckingham, Mr. Andrew Marvel, Mr. John Aylof, and Mr. Stephen College.  
An Answer to the Bp. of Rochester's first and second Letters, etc.  
The Intrigues of the French King at Constantinople to imbroil Christendom; discovered in several Dispatches passed between him and the late Grand Signior, Grand Vizier, and Count Tekeley; all of them found in that Count's Papers. With some Reflections upon them.  
Plain English. In relation to the Real and Pretended Friends to the English Monarchy. Humbly offered to the Consideration of his Majesty, and his Great Council, the Lords and Commons in Parliament Assembled. The second Edition. With a short Preface, and an Appendix, concerning the Coronation Oath administered to K. James. II.  
The New Nonconformist. Or, Dr. Shertock's Case in preaching after a Deprivation, incurred by the express words of a Statute; fairly Stated and Examined. With some short Reflections upon Mr. Cook's Sermon, Feb. 2. 1690. which was Licenced by the Archbishop's Chaplain.  
The Fate of France. A Discourse where it is showed, That by the Happy Revolution in England, all the Designs of the French King for the Universal Monarchy are disappointed; and the rational Grounds to believe his Downfall near. In Dialogues betwixt Father Petre, Father La Chaise, and two Protestant Gentlemen.  
The Anatomy of a Jacobite Tory. In a Dialogue between Whig and Tory, occasioned by the Act for Recognising King William and Queen Mary.  
The Great Bastard, Protector of the Little One. Done out of French. And for which the French King put forth a Proclamation, with a Reward of five thousand Lovis d'Ors, to discover the Author.  
Reflection upon a Form of Prayer, lately set forth by the Jacobites of the Church of England; and of an Abhorrence, rendered by the late King, to some of our Dissenting Bishops, upon his present Majesty's Landing.  
Essex's Innocency and Honour vindicated; Or, Murder, Subornation, Perjury, and Oppression, justly charged on the Murderers of that Noble Lord, and True Patriot, Arthur (late) Earl of Essex. As proved before the Right Honourable (late) Committee of Lords, are ready to be Deposed. By Laurance Braddon, Gent.  
To the two Universities an Epistle; together with a Prediction concerning the French; translated out of Callimachus, who is by Saint Paul, said to be a Prophet, and that his testimony is true, Titus 1.12, 13.  
The Secret History of the Duchess of Portsmouth; giving an account of the Intrigues of the Court during her Ministry: and of the Death of K. C. II.  
An Address given in to the late King James, by the Titular Archbishop of Dublin, from the general Meeting of the Romish Bishops and Clergy of Ireland, held in May last, by that King's Order; wherein several things relating to the Popish Designs upon these three Kingdoms are discovered; the Original whereof was found in the late King James' Closet in the Castle of Dublin at his leaving that City, and the Copy whereof was found in the Titular Archbishop's Lodgings. Now published, with Reflections on each Paragraph.  
The Folly of Priest craft. A Comedy.  
The Royal Flight, or the Conquest of Ireland. A Comedy.