The Emperor's LETTER To His own Subjects, and those of the Empire in ITALY.  
Dated from Vienna, April 9th. 1689.  

licenced June 5th. 1689.   
WE Leopold, by favour of the Divine Clemency, Emperor of the Romans Elect, ever August, and King of Germany, Hungary, Bohemia, Dalmatia, Croatia, Sclavonia, &c. Arch-Duke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Styria, Carinthia, Carniola, and Wirtemberg, Count of Tyrole, &c. To all and singular, Our well-beloved faithful Vassals and Subjects, and to those of the Sacred Roman Empire in Italy, of what State, Degree, Order, Condition, Dignity and Pre-eminence soever they be, our Imperial Grace, and all Happiness.  
Beloved! We make known and certify to you, That whereas the Crown of France has long since, not only several ways violated the Twenty Years Truce established, Anno 1684. in the General Diet of the Empire, between ills and the Empire on the one part, and the said Crown of France on the other part, and contrary to the express tenor as well of that as of the Peace of Westphalia and Nimeghen, hath usurped divers Places and Profits of the Empire, hath built Bridges upon the Bank of the Rhine, not belonging to the said Crown, hath erected Forts upon the Lands of the Empire, hath cut down the Woods, and many other ways, hath distressed the States and Subjects of the Sacred Roman Empire; but at length growing even impatient of our Patience, being moved either with Envy at our successses, against the Turks, or with an insatiable desire of enlarging its Borders, not minding its Faith so often given, and but lately renewed, despising all Law Divine, Ecclesiastical, and of civilized Nations at that very time, when our own Armies, and these of several States of the Empire( relying on public Compacts and the Sanctimony of the Royal Word) were for God's Glory besieging the Infidels in Belgrade, did treacherously, and without any previous Declaration of War, fall upon Us and the Empire, while we did not in the least dream of it, with all its Power took Philipsburg, destitute of the Faith of Leagues, and a necessary Garrison, invaded the Palatinate, Franconia, Suevia, and other Territories on the Rhine, pouring in men into the Country and archbishopric of Cologne, endeavoured to obtrude upon Us, and the Roman Empire Cardinal Furstenberg, contrary to the lawful Election, rightly confirmed by the Pope himself, of the most serene Prince, Joseph Clement of Bavaria, for Arch-Bishop and Elector of Cologne, either by force or Treachery, hath upon certain Terms, got into its hands Mentz, Worms, Spire, Heilbrowne, Heildelberg, Frankendale, and other Cities and strong Holds, subject, either mediately or immediately, to the sacred Roman Empire, and not sparing things sacred to Justice, hath destroyed the supreme Tribunal of the Empire, which in the times of the fiercest former Wars remained untouched in the said City of Spires, carrying the Writings and Evidences belonging to the whole Empire into France, hath wickedly appropriated to its own use the Poor and Orphans Money, there deposited and kept; hath extorted vast Contributions every where, yea, whole Cities, Towns and Countries, notwithstanding they paid the Taxes laid upon them, after they had, contrary to Faith, given and confirmed by the hand of the most serene Dauphin, been plundered; it hath partly destroyed by burning, partly by Mines; it hath with so great Fury blown them up from the very Foundations, that a ston is not left upon a ston; and not keeping its wicked hands from the very Temples, and the ancient palaces of Princes it hath levelled them to the ground: in some places it hath violently driven the stronger sort of Our Subjects, after the manner of the Barbarians, into Slavery, or to bear Arms in France; others, after they were robbed of their Corn, which was all that was left after so great exactions, it forced to Plow their own Fields, when they were Sown; and it most severely forbid them upon pain of death ever for the future to exercise husbandry; finally, it hath every where, as far as the beastly inhumanity of its Souldiers could reach, undone all, with Murder, Sword, Fire, Rapine, and other horrid instances of Rage, Cruelty, Avarice and Lust, scarce known among Barbarians, and exceeding the very cruelty and malice of Tartars and Turks; and it continues to undo, and moreover it persists to stir up the sworn Enemies of the Holy across, to the utter destruction of the Christian World, and to solicit them to join Arms with it by a League: We, with all the Electors, Princes and States, assembled in our Imperial City of Ratisbonne, have taken into mature deliberation how to defend and vindicate the liberty of our dearest Country from present ruin, and We being with their unanimous consent and suffrages addressed by them, that not only by Decreeing and Publishing an universal and most just War all over the Roman Empire, We would according to our Imperial trust, together with Them, endeavour to repel such cruel injuries, and with all our might assert the Safety and Liberty of the Empire; but also that we would esteem those as the common Enemies of the whole Empire, who shall assist the foresaid Crown, with Men, Horse, Arms, Provisions, Money, or by any other means whatever; and that We would earnestly forbid, especially our own and the Roman Empire's Subjects in Italy, any way to assist the fore mentioned Crown, or either directly or indirectly to promote its execrable undertakings, most severely and upon pain of loss of their Fees and other Advantages held of Us, and the Sacred Roman Empire. Since therefore by Our Imperial Authority, We have approved the fore-mentioned unanimous Sentence of the Electors, Princes and States of the Empire as agreeable to the Divine and Natural Law, and to every ones obligation, and relying on the assistance of the Divine Justice, have taken up Arms for the necessary defence of the Empire; so We hope none of you are so destitute of Piety, nor will be so forgetful of your Allegiance and Duty, as that you will participate of so detestable cruelty and treachery, and of those crimes which have proceeded, and will proceed from thence, nor that you will lend any assistance or aid to the accursed attempts of the Enemies, only tending to the ruin and subversion of Our Country. Hence it is, well-beloved! that out of the plenitude of Our Imperial Power, We kindly and seriously admonish you, and upon Our own, and the Sacred Roman Empire's most grievous displeasure, and upon pain of losing all Fees, privileges, Rights and Immunities whatever, granted to you by Us or the Roman Empire, do strictly charge you, That none of you, of whatever State, Degree, Condition, Dignity and Pre-eminence he be, who is any way related to the Roman Empire, and enjoys the Honours and Prerogatives of the same, after the time that this Our Pleasure, either by Our original Letters, or by Copies of them( which We will have to be of equal Authority) or otherwise shall be known; shall be assisting to the foresaid Crown of France, or to its Colleagues and Adherents, nor shall sand any assistance, but shall recall them, if sent; if any of you serve it or its Aherents, he must quit his stipend, nor must he for the future serve under them; nor by Men, Money, Provisions, Corn, Gunpowder, Quarters, Passages, Advice, nor any other way whatever shall be aiding or assisting to their unjust designs, nor shall enter into any unlawful Treaties with them to the prejudice of the Empire; much less shall they voluntarily, or at the instigation of the French, those disturbers of Europe, make War either upon Our Hereditary Kingdoms and Provinces, or upon Our Liege People and Members of the Empire, or upon Our vassals, or those in League with us, in or without the Lands of the Empire upon any pretext whatever; nor shall he contrive any Hostilities against Us or them, nor give suspicion of such contrivances, nor shall he give his Assistance or Counsel to any others towards it. Well-Beloved! We therefore kindly Exhort you, that if perchance any of your Children, Kindred, Clients, Vassals and Subjects, should serve in the Wars, or otherwise assist the Crown of France, its Favourers and Adherents, or any who are Enemies to Us, and the Empire, its Members and Allies, you would not only recall them under the commination of most grievous Punishments, respectively of loss of Goods, Feudal and Allodial, Benefits, privileges, Immunities, Honour and Life, and that forthwith you would severely proceed against the refractory; but that you would moreover cheerfully employ your Power and Pains in a just cause, and for the Defence of the Empire; since by so doing, Well-Beloved! you will deserve well of Us and the Sacred Roman Empire, and of the whole Christian Common-wealth. But if any, contrary to expectation and to this express Sanction of Ours and of the whole Roman Empire, shall be found to maintain the unjust pretensions of France, or to assist it or its Adherents, or their Aiders or abettors, or any of Our Enemies, or the Enemies of those in League with Us, or to act or endeavour Hostilities against any one or all the Electors, Princes and States of the Sacred Roman Empire, or other Vassals, or in League with them, know that ye shall irremissibly be deprived of all the Benefits, Rights and privileges which he enjoys from Us and the Sacred Roman Empire, and that he shall without delay be proceeded against by Our Imperial Fiscal. Which, that it may be the more manifest to all, and that none may pretend ignorance, We kindly require you, Well-Beloved! to take care that this Our Declaration be published and affixed in your Territories, and Districts respectively; In doing whereof, Well-Beloved! you will act as becomes You and the Cause, and agreeable to Our Pleasure and Your own Duty. Upon Credit of this Our Letters Signed with Our own Hand, and Sealed with Our Imperial Seal.  
Given at Our City of Vienna, Apr. 9. 1689. Of Our Empire, the Thirty First; of Our Reign over Hungary, the Thirty Fourth; and over Bohemia, the Thirty Third Year, LEOPOLDUS. V. Leopoldus Guilielmus Comes in Ronigzegg L. S. Ad Mandatum Sacrae Caesarcae Majestatis proprium C. F. Consbruch.   

A LETTER FROM THE Electors, Princes, and States, Councellors, and ambassadors Assembled in the Diet at Ratisbonne TO THE Most Serene and Potent JOHN III. King of Poland, &c.  
Written May the 4th. and Published the 13th. of the same Month.  
Most Serene and Most Potent KING, Most Gracious Lord!  
THE Constant reports of some by past Years have undoubtedly informed your Majesty, how, under the specious, but vain and rapacious pretence of dependence, after the Peace of Nimeghen, the Roman Empire, urged by the French with Invasions, Seizings, and Devastation of Cities and Countries, and infinite Injuries, was at length Anno 1684. compelled to yield to the no less hard, than unjust Terms of a Truce for Twenty Years, with renouncing the sovereignty over some Provinces for a time. The State of public affairs at that juncture made it necessary to submit to them, being then intent upon a War with the Turks, as also did the care of Defending the Christian Faith and Our Country, nor was a prosperous Success of Affairs wanting, and the grateful and firm hope of doing greater things, and of procuring Ease and Security to Your Majesty and to the Kingdom of Poland was Vigorous, till slighting the Established Articles of the Peace of Westphalia and Nimeghen, and the Twenty Years Truce; the French King envying the Victories of the Christians, and( as is plainly apparent) favouring the Interests of the Turks and Tartars, and endeavouring to repair their losses without declaring War, or any previous Commemoration of Grievances or Complaints, basely and Treacherously in a Hostile manner falls upon the back of the Emperour and the Roman Empire, when they were engaged in a War with the Turks, and little dreamed of it, the frontier Garrisons on the Rhine, being in Confidence of Peace, naked of sufficient Provisions, he either takes by immane fury and violence, or by direful threats and menaces, or by colloguing fawning; when he had no hopes to gain Coblentz, by reason of the Fidelity shown to the Emperour and Empire by his Eminence the Elector of Treves, out of stark madness to do mischief, he burns it with Bombs and such like inventions; He depopulates Provinces, he oppresses the unwary and innocent Subjects of the Empire far and near, and spoils them of all their Fortunes: First, after a barbarous manner, he drags them that are set apart for the Divine Ministry, into captivity, and by stealing from the rest their food, necessary to sustain Life; some he starves, others he murders. Every mans heart aches to think how wickedly the profidious Nation did at the Kings Command, utterly destroy with Fire Heidelberg, founded by Emperors, an Electoral, and among Mountainous Fortifications, the Chief Seat of all Europe, when it was spontaneously surrendered upon Terms of Immunity, Confirmed and Subscribed by the Dauphin; Manheim, the sinest Mart of that district, after a few days Siege, when it was surrendered upon good Terms, having foully violated his promise, he not only levelled it with the ground, but with Gun-powder blew up from the very Foundation both private Houses and Churches, even such as served for the Exercise of the catholic Religion; he took away the Palatine Archive, by taking away the Acts and Evidences of the supreme Judicature of the Imperial Chamber, which in all bypassed Wars whatever were taken care of by the Enemy, to the irreparable damage of many Thousands that were at Law; he hath extirpated the administration of Sacred Justice, and whatever wickedness or villainy the cruelest of Enemies could invent in ages long time past, to destroy Countries to that very death; that all this has been exercised by a wicked and villainous Nation in the most fruitful and beautiful Region of all Germany, the Province that is defaced with its own ruins may testify: So that indeed the most Sacred Emperour, and the Electors, Princes and States of the Roman Empire being provoked with so perfidious devastations and robberies,( for indeed it deserves not the name of a War) and being tired out with so often repeated cruelties, as also being mindful of the safeguard of the Empire, and its Subjects committed to them by God, and of their own duty, have declared War against the French, and having partly drawn( to the great damage of the Christians) Souldiers from the Turkish expedition, and having partly drawn and raised them in other places, relying on the High Justice of our Cause, and upon the Divine Assistance, have decreed to give check to this first most unjust effort, and with councils and Force linck'd by an indissoluble tie to advance our Arms against the Enemy, for the reparation of such heinous injuries and damages sustained, and to procure perpetual security and tranquillity to the Empire as from the unanimous decree of the States, most graciously approved by His Imperial Majesty( a Copy whereof We together with the translation, add to these) more fully will appear; besides, not being ignorant by what shameful shifts and tricks, unbecoming any thing called a King; the French King uses to involve those that are provoked by him, and are upon their guard against him in mutual picques and grudges, as under the false pretext of difference in Religion, the same has unsuccessfully been practised, and is at present pleaded: First of all, they have thought it material, yea absolutely necessary, setting aside all Neutrality, as they call it; whatever Power the Divine Providence has bestowed on the Emperor & Empire, to gather it unanimously together, to turn our Arms with a courageous and resolved mind on the Enemy, and not to desist from the prosecution of the War, till a sufficient redress of so many bitter evils( which we hope from God) shall be had, and further caution for the future, and also to declare him or them to be Enemies of the Empire, who shall by invasion or depredation infest any of their territories, even without the Empire, or that shall endeavour to turn the Arms of the Empire or of its Allies, to the side of France, and also to invite all Crowns and republics, who have regard to their Faith or Promise, into Our Assistance and Alliance against the Enemy of all Faith, that being banished from him. And most serene King! since an ancient and firm friendship hath been between the Emperors and Empire, and the Kingdom of Poland, which not long since in Friendly raising the Siege of Vienna, when Besieged by the Infidels( which benefit We at present gratefully acknowledge, and shall ever be acknowledged by all Posterity) Your Majesty and the Common wealth of Poland, have abundantly made good; and also since, by this nefarious robbing by the French, which has recalled the greatest part of our Victorious Forces out of Servia and Bosnia, the side of our Ally, the Kingdom of Poland, is not slightly wounded, and its security rendered hazardous; and especially, because it is not to be doubted, but Your Majesty does abominate this villainous irruption: All these things put us in hopes, that your Majesty, to repress a power so immane and hurtful to the World, and insulting upon every one at its pleasure( which boasts that it wages War with all Europe, and also hath late declared War upon frivolous pretences, by a public Edict, against the catholic King, contrary to the instrument of Truce made with him, reckoned only for fashions-sake to have been inserted in the Truce between the Imperialists & the French) will join your Counsels and Arms, and those of the Commonwealth, with those of the Emperor's and Empire: We therefore having instructions by the especial command of Our Masters, do with all submission due, beseech your Majesty, that you would extend the League entred into, with the most August Emperor against this new Enemy, therefore the more dangerous, because destitute of all Faith; or otherwise, that you would please to enter into a separate treaty, and what, to this purpose, we know has been signified by the most invincible Emperor to your Majesty, repeating it here, We invite You into a more close confederacy.  
But however, since the War with the Turks is still on foot, if We should fall short of Our hopes of obtaining a helping Hand from Your Majesty and the Common-wealth of Poland; we are certainly assured, that you will carefully and solicitously look to it, that by no French instigations or other evil arts, they and the Turks join Forces, and make depraedations upon the Emperor and States, or upon any of the Confederates in your Confines without the Empire, nor that any of their Subjects be vexed in any place with Invasions and Robberies, and if( which God forbid) things should happen otherwise than well, that You would with a willing mind join your Arms with Ours to pursue and extirpate these Invaders. We beseech Almighty God to inspire Your Majesty with Counsels worthy a Christian Prince, by which the pride of our Enemies being repressed, perpetual Peace and tranquillity may be procured to Europe: And nothing remains, but that We hearty Pray for a happy Success of Affairs, and prosperous Events in Your Government, and to all undertakings beneficial to the Christian World.  
Ratisbonne, from the Diet, May 4th. 1689. Your Majesties Most humble Servants, The Councellors and ambassadors of the Electors, Princes and States of the Sacred Roman Empire, there Assembled. To the Most Serene and Potent Prince, and Lord, John the Third, KING of Poland, Great Duke of Lithuania, and of Russia, Brussia, Massovia, Samogitea, &c. Our Most Gracious Lord.   

LONDON, Printed for R. Clavel in St. Pauls-Church. Yard, 1689.