A Short and True RELATION OF INTRIGUES TRANSACTED, Both at Home and Abroad, To Restore the Late King JAMES.  Virgil. AEneid. lib. 6. 
Facilis descensus Averni, sed revocare gradum hic labour, hoc opus est.  
London, Printed in the Year, 1694.   

A short and true Relation of Intrigues transacted at Home and Abroad, to restore the late King James.  
WE may see, by the overturn of the late King, the Instability of Human Greatness; and that Sovereignty is like the Globe of the Earth, full of Wind and Turn, having its Ebbs and Flows like the Ocean, which never rests, and which shows Government to be a slippery Path; for if the Prince chance to catch a Fall, though such a Mishap may not prove Mortal, yet it so disables him ever after, that he cannot recover himself: Which at this time seems verified in the Fall of the late King, who now finds himself mistaken in his Measures, which renders all his Endeavours frivolous, and turns to no other Account, but to frustrate his Expectations, and to remove his Hopes from ever ascending the English Throne again.  
The Nobles and Commons in Parliament assembled, after the late King's Coronation, demonstrated their Fidelity to him, by their unexpected Attainder of the late Duke of Monmouth, who but a little before was the People's Darling, and yet notwithstanding was sacrificed for the preservation of the late King; an Instance of so much Integrity at that Juncture of Time, when the late King dreaded nothing more than the Landing of the Duke of Monmouth, that if the late King had but esteemed the Affection of the People, pursuant to the Experience he had then of their Loyalty, and retained the same, and contained himself within the Rules of Moderation in point of good Government, and not openly exceeded the Limits of the Law, and strove to content the People, which is the End of all good Government, a Duty incumbent upon Kings and Princes to do, he might have Ruled and Reigned to this Day, and all the Days of his natural Life, with as much Honour, Grandeur and Satisfaction, as any Prince that ever reigned in England.  
The late King had more Experience in Government than any Prince that came before him. He had seen the Tragical Fate of his Father's Death, the Turn and Wind in his late Brother's Reign, wherein he himself had an ample Share every way; and was fifty two years a Subject before he came to be King: So that it might be expected from a Prince of his Knowledge and Years, to rule well, and to fulfil that Saying of Maecenas to Augustus, Nemo bene Imperat nisi qui ante paruerit Imperio. Whereas had the late King but kept the Reins of his Government equal in his Hand, so as to be able to have made a Judgement when to drive fast or slow, and between both had kept a middling Pace, and by an impartial distribution of Justice pleased the lower Orb, and trusted not too far to corrupted Ministers and Judges, who are the Plagues of all Governments, according to Cicero, Acceptatio munerum est praevaricatio Justitiae & Veritatis, he had been now, instead of a Deposed Prince in a Foreign Land, happy at Home. But now he can tell, that a People can do better without a King, than a King without a People; and as nothing would have pleased his Ambition but to trample upon the Liberties and Privileges of his Subjects, so the Subjects thought themselves obliged to let him know, that the Affection of the People is the surest Foundation of Government, by their declaring their aversion to the late King, and seating the present King and Queen upon the Throne.  
The late King thought to imitate Henry the 8th the contrary way, but came short of his Undertaking, and losing the Love of his People, lost himself and three Kingdoms. Henry the 8th fought the Pope at his own Weapons, picked his Locks with his own Keys, locked in the Supremacy, and shut out the Pope: And for his Seconds, had the two great Convocations of Roman Catholic Divines then residing in both the Universities of Oxford and Cambridg, together with all the Monastical and Collegiate Theologues throughout the whole Kingdom; which bespeaks the English Roman Catholics, both at Rome and all Abroad, very scandalous, having no Reputation nor Esteem any where out of England, but hated mortally.  
The late King to oblige the Pope, and out of his fervent Zeal to Religion likewise, went about to alter the Case, and to remove the Aspersion, wherewith all the English Roman Catholics are branded, and fix it upon English Protestants, when he with a Protestant Army attempted to establish Popery, against Law, in a Protestant Kingdom, and to extirpate the Protestant Religion. An Undertaking too dangerous (as it fell out) to be attempted; and no wonder it should, when a Prince, against all the Rules of Religious Policy, and contrary to good Conduct in point of good Government, without any more necessity to compel him than his Ambition and Zeal, to take such Measures as would not only incense the People against him, and inflame three Kingdoms, but also entail an Intestine War upon the Kingdom: For St. Augustin, a great Doctor in the Church, as well as in the Politics, says, Remota justitia, & quid sunt Regna, sed magna Latrocinia? the removing of Religion and Justice, let's in an Inundation of Sorrow, Calamity, and Distress, to the overthrow of all good Law and moral Honesty; which the late King now sees, when instead of being attended by his Nobles, Ministers, and his Judges, and seated at Home upon the Throne, he himself, with the help of his more than corrupted Council, brought all upon himself, and is necessitated to be maintained at the Expense of another Prince: which shows the Uncertainty, as well as the Infelicity of humane Greatness, to see a Prince that might have been happy, but would not, and now instead of Ruling and Commanding his late great Officers, is again glad to receive and listen to the meanest of his late Subjects: A Prince that would not hear the Counsel of the Wise, but embraced the Advice of Fools, is accordingly accommodated; who expected by his Exile, when he left his People, to return Triumphantly an absolute Monarch, as he thought; but so far from it at this time, that that Prince from whom he expected Succour, has enough to do to defend himself, being surrounded by many Enemies, which leaves the late King no hopes of Supply there, having to that purpose received the King of France's Answer but in February last, which crowned all the late King's Misfortunes with additional Sorrow, as presently will appear.  
The late King hath no other Remedy left him, as the Case stands now Abroad, but to court his late injured People to bring him back again; which is not so easily to be comprehended: That Prince must be reduced to great Hardships, that first receives a broken Head, and petitions him that gave it for a Plaster, it looks as if no other was or is to be had: But woe be to him that takes that Measure for his Redress.  
The late King believes that the same People that betrayed and deserted him, may be prevailed with by his Declarations and Protestations to restore him again. But, God comfort him! he is mistaken; the Case is since altered, and those Religious Weathercocks, upon whose Promises he does (at this time) depend, are as Impotent to do him any Good, as they were Potent to ruin him when here last; they have not that Virtue that's said to be in Achilles' Spear, they gave the mortal Wound, but they cannot heal it now they would, being out of their reach.  
And the late King expecting they could, to please them, hath excluded the Protestant Dissenters, and the Roman Catholics of Ireland, both innocent of the Misfortunes that justly overtook him; and is so conscientious, that he condemns the Innocent, and pardons the Nocent, when he offers all the Protestant Dissenters and the Roman Catholics of Ireland, (the latter having been Sufferers with a Vengeance in his Cause) as an Oblation to the Passive-Obedience Men, who infused Nonresistance into the late Army: And now these are the late King's Creatures, and the only Persons that would abdicate the Gospel, as they did their Passive-Obedience King, rather than the Church-living.  
The late King fulfils the true Character of his Family in himself, that have been all known to be unconstant, and unfaithful to their Friends, and liberal and grateful to their Foes. But God has accordingly dealt with them, he has raised them a multitude of Enemies, and left the Succession of this Crown (without any Seconds) to fight its Battle: And if it be remembered how that the late King, and his Brother Charles the Second, after their return, from Exile, treated the decayed Cavaliers, who lost their All in their Cause, it should leave him destitute of Friends. And if it be also considered how many Noblemen and Gentlemen, that spent their Estates and Fortunes in the Defence of the Succession of this Crown, and how they were rewarded by King Charles the Second, and by the late King, having received for their Comforts in Distress, petitioning about Whitehall, nothing but Sham-References to the Treasury, and paid in cold Waiting, long Attendance, Tricks, Disappointments, Promises and Delays, that betwixt Kingcraft, and Court-Cheats, and Sharpers, Persons of unquestionable Families, unspotted Loyalty, and Sufferers in abundance, have famished for Hunger, and perished with Cold, and their Posterity to this Day left without any Satisfaction, and reduced to a very mean and low Condition; which should take away the least Encouragement from all Persons to intermeddle in the late King's Cause, but look upon his Fall, and the overthrow of his Crown, a Judgement due to the Family, and may say; Justus es Deus, & justum est Judicium tuum. It would be a pity indeed that all the Family should departed this World, till they, or some of them, atone for the manifold Abominations wherewithal they stand charged here, as well as before the Great Tribunal, for what Evils they have committed against their People.  
The Roman Catholics of Ireland, although in Point of Interest and Persuasion different from us, yet to do them Right, have deserved well from the late King, though ill from us; and for the late King to leave them and exclude them, is such an Instance of mean Ingratitude, that Protestants have no reason to stand by a Prince that deserts his own Party, and a People that have been faithful to him and his Interest to the very last. That they were overcome, is not so much to be wondered at, as their holding out against the Power and Wealth of England, and against all Nations to admiration so long as they did, and at last to force such Conditions from us, as should render them a People never to be forgotten by the Successors of this Crown: but King James is the late unchangeable King James still, a King that is not to be found but upon Uncertainty. What have the Protestant Dissenters done to him, that he has in the Articles of September last excluded them? They had no hand in Undermining, Betraying, nor Deserting of him, they have carried themselves obedient to his lawful Commands; and because they did so, he, contrary to all his Pretensions of former Zeal for Liberty of Conscience, by his Exceptions in the said Articles, exposes them all to Ruin and Destruction; that is to say, when he returns. But when the Dissenters consider how he deserts those of his own Religion, they may content themselves with being as they are, out of the reach of his Hatred; and seeing that his Favours are only reserved to promote his Enemies, and that he has lost all Abroad, let his Enemies grow potent every where, and numerous withal, and let him be so lost, that he may never be found here at Home.  
Now seeing the late King hath exposed himself, by excluding a People that never prejudiced him nor his Interest, to gratify the Desires of those that have turned him out of all: It is hoped, that as he had the pleasure of Excepting, that he will give leave to return him a Quid for his Quo, by directing such Measures, as may anticipate all his throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland, and by intimating to the Government such a Method as may for the future detect all the Devices on foot in order to his Restauration, and so have his Exceptions by his own Exclusion executed.  
The following Relation, as had from Gentlemen of very good Note, who have seen most of the Transactions at St. Germains for about four Years last passed, gives a very impartial Account of Affairs, and shows the Connexion of Foreign and Domestic Intrigues, carried on and managed with restless Industry now for about two Years last passed, in order to the Restauration of the late King; which at last turned to no better Account, than to put a Period to his Expectations, by leaving him but small or no Hopes to return ever again, as will plainly appear; the Truth whereof will want no Confirmation, for farther enquiry into Foreign Affairs will remove all Doubts, and leave no room for Contradiction.  
ABOUT two Years since the late King had great hopes to be restored with Triumph, and fed himself with the thoughts of being an absolute Monarch, having about that Time received great Encouragement, as well from the Pope as from the French King, which made him look above the Reach of his late Subjects, (as he thought) and to reject all my Lord Preston's Undertake, and the rest concerned in that Intrigue; which was like to have cost my Lord Preston his Life, and for which he had no Thanks, but on the contrary was despised for meddling; the late King protesting then, that he had rather never see England, than come to treat or capitulate with his Subjects again: But he soon altered his Resolution, seeing Affairs Abroad thwart his Designs; and meeting with such unexpected Disappointments, which abated much of the Thoughts he retained but a little before; so that of a sudden Motion, he with great Impatience consulted some of his Protestant Council, telling them that he was resolved to treat with his late Subjects, and give them any Conditions rather than stand out any longer, concluding that nothing would more conduce to his Restauration, than to reconcile himself to his late Subjects.  
In order thereto an Express was sent to England, with Instructions to my Lord Middleton and some others, to treat with the People, and to know their Inclinations by feeling how their Pulses beat, and accordingly to proceed: Which my Lord Middleton did, and drew a Declaration answerable to the Desires of the Churchmen of England and Ireland, and some other Heads of both the Kingdoms: And after some Debates, my Lord Middleton went away for France, and arrived at St. Germains the beginning of March, or thereabouts, 1692/3; produced the Declaration, which admitted of high Debates, and long Arguments pro and con, as their several separate Interests moved the Ministers of St. Germains: But my Lord Melford started several Cases of Conscience against the late King's signing the said Declaration; insomuch that to be satisfied therein, and to remove all Scruples of Conscience, the late King consulted the College of Sorbon, and the Irish College likewise. The Faculty of Sorbon declared against the said Declaration, and the Irish College for it.  
The Irish College gave these Reasons, That the King was in Exile, banished his Kingdoms by his own Children and Subjects for his Religion; that as the Case stood with him, there was no Remedy for his Restauration left him, but to comply with his Subjects, and to sign any Instrument whatever, for to prevail with them to accept of him home again; and whatever he should sign whilst in Exile, and under Tribulation abroad, he should not in Conscience be obliged to perform after his Restauration, as exacted from him per Force and Duress; which renders all Conditions and Agreements of that kind, neither obligatory nor binding, any longer than a fit Opportunity should offer itself to break them; [and wherein he would but imitate his Brother Charles II. who took the Covenant in Scotland, and after his Restauration burned it at London, by the hands of the Common Hangman.] The Faculty of Sorbon declared against this kind of machiavellian Doctrine, and against the Declaration too: Yet notwithstanding the late King did sign the said Declaration on the Consideration aforesaid. But my Lord Melford and my Lord Middleton fell out, and are to this day irreconcilable; they do not contend for any Good either of them would do to this Side or that Side, but their Quarrel is like that of Cesar and Pompey, who should be the Greatest, not the Best: But Melford (a Convert in Wolves Dress, under the shadow of Religion) bears the Sway, Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum.  
The said Declaration so signed by the late King, was ordered to be sent into Flanders to be read there at the Head of the Irish Troops; but was to them the most unwelcome and unacceptable Message that ever they met withal, or that the late King could send them, finding by the said Declaration, that they lost themselves both at Home and Abroad, by the late King; which caused such a Consternation in the Camp, that the Soldiers (who would be glad of any Occasion to quit the Service and to return Home) openly mutinied; having started the Question, that now being deserted by King James, why should they not go over to King William and accept of Conditions? But the Question was carried in the Negative, and an Express sent immediately to St. Germains, to let the late King know the Discontent amongst the Soldiers, and the Disorder in the Camp occasioned by the said Declaration. Here K. James returns to himself again, and after his old Custom of Doing and Undoing, gets another Declaration drawn, signs the same, to null the former, and sends away two Gentlemen and two Clergymen of Note with this new Declaration for Flanders, to pacify the Irish, and to give them Content; which for some Days gave some Satisfaction, but not so much as to harbour a good Thought of the late King, believing that if ever he should be restored, they would be all lost through his Unconstancy; and that by reposing their Trust in him, they confided in a rotten Reed: but however they were appeased for that time.  
Here the late King, forgetting his last Declaration and Protestation to the Irish, sends the first Declaration for England without any Amendment, or taking any notice of the last Declaration to the Irish; but with the former Exception against them, he lets it pass for England. Here (as they relate it Abroad) it was published the 19th of May last; but several not believing the same to be the late King's Declaration, but the Product of some other Invention to amuse the People, seemed disgusted at it, and would give it no Credit: But that the People may be undeceived in the said Declaration, notice was sent to St. Germains what the People said about it; and immediately to remove all Doubts touching the same, the late King caused it to be put in the Paris Gazette, where (to his great Dishonour and Disadvantage) it was published by Authority, which gave Content in England, and great Discontent to the Irish Army, who are ever since in great disorder about it: but the King of France has promised to see them righted, who are all very unruly and weary of King James, (except some Officers, that cannot live so well at Home as in their Station Abroad) and willing to quit the Service upon any reasonable Conditions whatsoever; especially the common Soldiers, who are extraordinary poor and dissatisfied, would give any thing to be at Home.  
The Nobility and Gentry of France finding a Declaration of King James' in the Paris Gazette, were surprised at it; and seeing him desert the Roman Catholic Interest, did look upon it as very great Unconstancy of Resolution, which in truth removed the Interest and Affection of the Clergy and Nobility of France from him, who, before that Publication, were all resolved for him, and to promote his Restauration to their Power; but since are grown cold upon the Matter, and but indifferent whether he be restored or not. In the Court of France the late King is extremely much made of; but had he more Constancy of Mind, he would be much better looked upon there, where nothing else but Resolution is in Esteem.  
The said Declaration, it seems, had such Effects, that some have been pleased to send away a Draught of Articles or Conditions, contained, as reported from abroad, under twelve Heads, which the late King, in farther confirmation of his good Will to that Party he relies on, hath in September last signed, as they say that came from thence. Since the return of the said Articles for England signed, they say abroad, that Preparations have been diligently used for the Restoration of the late King.  
And that in December last an Express arrived from England at St. Germains, which gave the satisfactory account of the People's return to their former Allegiance to King James: how true or false it was, that Court was so elevated with Joy, that nothing was talked off, but an immediate Return for England, all there striving who should be foremost upon the Expedition others, to make some considerable Figure, came away, as they say, to have some Men in readiness against the Landing here in England. Frequent fresh News came from England, confirming the same; and every half-starved poor Man about Court used his Interest to have some considerable Employment; and he that could not be in a valuable Station, thought himself as good as lost: by which we may judge how the Jacobites here in England would be looked on. But it's thought the late King would continue his Favour to them, by leaving them always reserved to drink his Health, an Employment most suitable to their Principles; for certainly they that live in so merry a Mode in his Absence, cannot but do extraordinary well when he returns, that is to say, if their Money holds out, otherwise they may become Williamites.  
About this time France was as full of the Expectation of a General Peace to be concluded all abroad, as other Places were full of the Rumour thereof; and to stay for the Ratification, was alleged to be the only stop that prolonged the late King's coming away, having all things at Home and Abroad ready, doubting not in the least but all things would have answered Expectation. But all the Preparations returned to nothing, and the great Joy, of a sudden, to Sorrow, insomuch that all the Tidings at Home and Abroad met together, in the Dissolution of the Hopes of a second Restoration.  
The late King having about the fourth Day of February last, New Style, acquainted the French King with the frequent good Tidings from his late Subjects, who now were returned to their Allegiance, and all free to hazard their Lives and Fortunes for his Return, which he said, were all true according to his Intelligence, and that he was most certain and sure that none would oppose him in England; the French King told him, that he was glad to hear it, and wished it might prove so, but seemed to give little Credit to it.  
The late King pressed hard to have some Succours to come for England the beginning of last March, but still the French King doubted the Reality of the English to him, alleging thus, as King James repeated the same after his return from Versailles to St. Germains:  
First, says the French King, as you have experience to know your Subjects, so I know them by their Character, and do believe them to be a People of no Faith, no Honour, and no Honesty, whom no Promise can oblige, nor Oath can bind: And as for their Clergy, I look upon them much worse than the Commonalty, having not only by Teaching and Preaching taught the People to forswear themselves, but shown ill Examples in themselves by doing the same; they have sworn Allegiance to you, and since accepted of the Prince of Orange for their King, and swear Allegiance to him; how this Swearing to both can be reconciled, I cannot understand: But let them swear what they will, I should not believe them, nor put any more value upon their Oath than they do themselves, which is nothing at all. Neither do I understand how you can be assured of them that have no other Assurance to give you of their future Fidelity but their Oaths, which are worth as much now, as when they broke with your Majesty last; it is out of my reach to put any Trust in such People, neither would I have you confide in them, for I doubt much their Integrity; and if they are weary of the War at a Distance, what will they not be when it's with them at Home? that will be your time to hear them, and not before.  
The late King still urged to come for England.  
Whereupon the French King told him, seeing he had that Confidence in his Subjects, that if they did but demonstrate their Fidelity by some Action, as the seizing of any Citadel, Town or Fore of any good Consequence, and put such in his Hands as might be for the Safety of his Ships, and secure the landing of an Army; that after that was effectually done, he would give him Succours; but before, he did not think it safe to venture, considering how his own Affairs stood at Home and Abroad. The late King pressed no further upon him, but returned to St. Germains, where he told all the Particulars, which put that Court into such a Fit of Grief and Sorrow, that they were all like so many People going to die. In five days after, all the decayed Gentlemen about Court were ordered some Advance-Money upon their Pensions, and commanded Homeward, to make the best of their Way and Conditions, who are now upon the Road for Flanders, others coming for England, and the rest begging all along, being in a most deplorable Condition.  
The English Protestants about that Court do wish themselves at Home again, for there they are respected as Strangers, but hated as Protestants, and looked upon as Spies from England; so are some Roman Catholics too, who thereupon, both Clergy and Laity, were forbid the Court.  
The Protestants are hated likewise by the People there, who have the same Notion of Religion, if not with more Zeal, as the People here: The Protestants are under the Calumnies of the late King's Declaration, and the Articles both against Roman Catholics and Dissenters; and the English Protestants about Court on that account are loathed and hated by the People there, who are full of it: For English Protestants to go for France, to propagate their Religion, where a Native Protestant cannot live, is but like the Quakers that went to Rome to reconcile the Pope to be a Quaker; they are equally looked upon, though not equally treated; the Quakers were looked upon in Rome to be mad Men, and were sent to Bedlam, but our English Protestant's are yet at Liberty, and in more danger of the Bastile than of Bedlam, being of late upon their Good-behaviour, but still much suspected.  
The late King did all along rely upon the Pope's Interest to mediate a Peace Abroad, and addressed a great many other Princes to the same purpose, hoping that a Peace Abroad would be a means to bring him to his late Home: The Pope did use his Interest that way, and so did the Princes of Italy, but it was to no Effect; for no Body seemed willing but the French King to accept of the Peace, which in him was but to wheedle some of the Confederate Princes to listen to his Proposals, and accept of his Conditions, to divide and break the Allies, and that so by taking off some, and dispersing their Forces, he may with the more Facility crush the rest, and break all at last: But the Confederates who are sensible of his Designs, will accept of no Conditions from him of his own Proposals, but intent to bring him to their Conditions; they all foresee that he intends to become Emperor of the West, which he cannot attain to, but in consequence must extirpate the House of Austria, in whose Preservation all the Princes think themselves obliged to keep up the War, rather than voluntarily suffer themselves to be brought under a Yoke of Tyranny and Usurpation.  
The Emperor is well satisfied, that the War made by the Grand Signior against the Empire, was promoted by the French King, and since furthered by him; which consideration requires the Emperor to decline all his Proposals until the French King first allays that War raised by himself upon the Emperor. As for the King of Spain, the French King is a Plague to him by ravaging of his Territories, seizing his Towns and Forts, without any pretence of Justice, and compelling his Subjects to swear Allegiance to him by the Law of Conquest, which by Divine Law is no Lawful Right, but a Homicide and open Robbery; for Mankind was free in the beginning, but since by the Power of Usurpation subjected under a Yoke, which lost the World forty times over more Lives, to continue and maintain Man's Ambition over Man, than are left living in the World: therefore as God's Laws are against destroying and killing of Men, certainly that Power which cannot govern nor live, but upon the destruction of God's Creation, cannot be called Just nor Lawful Jure Divino, but an absolute Tyranny; though some of our Divines will say that a Conquest is a Lawful Title, so it is by the Law of the Sword, but against the Law of Natural Right.  
Some perhaps may take occasion to question, by what Law did King William and Queen Mary ascend this Throne? A Question as soon answered, By a better Title than ever Alexander the Great, or Julius Cesar had to any Part of their several Conquests. K. William and Queen Mary had the Choice and Affection of the People, which is the best Foundation, and surest Title that ever Prince had to build upon, and without which no Prince can be safe on the Throne. But that Prince that has it, and knows how to keep it, and retains it, may reign and rule in defiance of all Foreign Enemies; if it does not happen to him to have a corrupted Council, which is the overthrow of any State, Kingdom or Empire. We need not go Abroad for Precedents, having some of the Council at Home in being, that brought us almost to Destruction, and are as likely to do it once again as ever they did before, if God prevents not. It is true enough, that where a Prince has not an Army to rule absolutely, no King of England can hurt the Privileges of the Subjects, if his Ministers and Judges be but faithful to the Prince and People, in discharge of their Trust according to Law; but otherwise all goes to wrack.  
We exclaim against the late King's Evil Counsellors, and who can say that there was one good amongst them? It is commonly said, that they that have betrayed the Secrets of one King against the Oaths commonly taken, have since betrayed another: Or how can this King and Queen believe themselves happy in the Counsel of those, whom they themselves know to have been false to the late King? Or is it to be thought the Kingdom is asleep, when a Clamour is raised against the late King's Evil Counsellors, when at the same time the major Part of them are still in our Councils and Places of Trust? which denotes a long Snake in the Grass. But I shall do by them as God Almighty did, leave them, and return to conclude my Discourse; only adding, that the Court of St. Germains dreads nothing more than such an Alteration of the Lieutenancy and Justices of Peace over all England, as it has pleased their Majesties of late to cause in London.  
The Resolution of the Confederates against the Peace, has altered the Measures of France, abolished the Thoughts of a Restauration, and has put a Period to all the Designs of an Invasion from France hither. It is of all hands in France believed, that through the Distraction amongst the Clergy and Gentry about the Taxes, the scarcity of Money among the Commonalty, with the want of Provision, and the excessive Expenses of the War to maintain so many Armies, the Glory of that Crown, without a Peace, cannot hold much longer; the declination of the Wealth of France having reduced all People to a very low Ebb.  
And if the late King and the French King did hold a Resolution to land an Army in this Kingdom, this Island is so naturally strongly situated, that they would find it a difficult Matter to land an Army here, having the Elements to fight with, and the Sea to conquer, before they can touch the Shore: and perhaps the Attempt, whenever tried, may prove as fatal to France, as the overthrow of the Spanish Armado was to Spain. Which makes me think of Hegesippus, who personated King Agrippa, in his Discourse to Claudius of the Danger and Difficulty of invading Great Britain; which Discourse ended, as Florus said of the Ligurians, and as I may say and conclude,  Major labour est invenire, quam vincere. Mr. Waller. 
'Tis not so hard, for greedy Foes to spoil  
Another Nation, as to touch our Soil.  
FINIS.