What pains did not Count D'Avaux take to set one province against the other, and to sow divisions among the cities of Holland? How busy was he at Amsterdam? What proffers or promises did he spare to bring it about? Which is a thing so publickly known from that ambassador's frequent journies to that great city, that the very children were not ignorant of it. We must not imagine that Mombas was alone engaged in this* treason against the state, but rather that he, escaping into France, has left several behind him, that walk in the dark, and are not yet discovered. The best of it is, that Count D'Avaux begins to be known, and his insinuations not believed, he having but too long imposed upon the credulity and good nature of many, who, now perceiving the cheat, will scarcely suffer themselves to be decoyed a second time. And, as France was diligent to sow these divisions and jealousies amongst them at home, so was he no less industrious in fomenting differences between England and them, as knowing very well, that these neighbouring powers, when joined together, are able to give check to his pride, and set bounds to his ambition. How pleasing a sight is it to the French king to see them engaged one against each other, and pur. suing his interest at so vast an expence of their own blood and treasure? The last war between those two states was some difference about matters of commerce, and, whilst the King of England was arming, the French king offered to engage in a treaty with Holland, on purpose to amuse and divert them from putting themselves in a posture of defence, as they soon after perceived; when France, instead of concluding the treaty, begun with them, and declared himself for England; and, whilst the latter attacked them by sea, he invaded their country with a puissant army; and, supposing the conquest of those provinces indubitable, they had before-hand divided them amongst themselves, England being to have for its share all the maritime places, and France all the rest; Amsterdam only proved a bone of contention, and occasioned some difference between them, both the one and the other desiring it for his share; though indeed they had no reason to be in a heat about it, seeing all this was but reckoning without their host, God preserving it from falling into either of their hands. Thus, a peace being, at last, concluded with England, the spirit of France was at work again to withdraw the states from their allies; and, finding that things were about to change face, and that the Dutch, being roused by a discovery of the artifices and treachery of France, began to look about them, and their troops, having a good general + at the head of them, became considerable and formidable, he thought fit, for a while, to dismiss the lion and act the fox, restoring Maestricht unto them, in order to obtain the peace of Nimeguen. Since which time that king has contented himself to bark afar off, and was so apprehensive of the States raising the last six-thousand men, that Count D'Avaux spared nothing to prevent it, and will do so still, as often as the States shall go

And whoever reads of the negotiations of Mr. Belisle in Germany, and the intrigues of Mr. Chetardie of late in Muscovy, cannot think that these two ministers fall any wise shurt in the art of lying, treachery, corruption, and treason. Did not Mr. Fenelon do the same lately?

+ William, Prince of Orange.

about to arm themselves, because that would stop the great Lewis in the full career of his conquests, and make his designs to prove abortive. I say again, that it is the great concern of Holland, not to suffer the Spanish Netherlands to be lost, except they desire, at the same time, to become a prey to the usurper. For, how easily will he find an occasion of quarrel with them? and, if all else fail, he will make out his pretensions and right to those provinces, for that they formerly belonged to Mary of Burgundy, Philip the First, Charles the Fifth, and afterwards to Philip the Second, who were, without contest, the lawful possessors thereof, and that, afterwards rebelling, they obtained, by force, an acknowledgment of their being a free state. He will proffer to maintain them in all their liberties and privileges, and the free exercise of their religion, in case they willingly submit to him; which, if they should hearken to, he will by little and little clip their franchises, and remove all protestants from places of trust, as he has done at home; and, if they yield not willingly, he will attack them with an armed hand, as he did in 1672, being sure the Roman Catholick Princes will not oppose him, because he has blinded their eyes with the false pretence of religion. But, if the house of Austria be not aware betimes of the snares he lays for them under these specious pretexts, they will find themselves deceived, when it is too late to recall their inadvertency.

6

To return to the United Provinces, I say, they ought, next to God, not to rely upon any thing so much as their own forces; and having nothing so much to fear as France, they ought to provide and strengthen themselves against his power chiefly, who has, for this great while, been plotting and contriving their final overthrow, or, at least, the bringing of them so low, as to be forced to depend solely upon, and truckle under him. It has some time since been ob served, that France has had a strong desire to make Holland listen to the proposal and treaty, which the wolf in the fable made with the sheep: Put away from you (said the wolf to those harmless creatures) your shepherd and dog, and we will make an alliance, and live in love and amity together.' In like manner, says Lewis the Great, Dismiss your general, and disband your old troops; for, 'to what purpose those unnecessary charges in a time of peace; es 'pecially being so well assured of our friendship, by the truce I am engaged in, and the word of a king, which you may safely rely on, 'that we will live in all amity and good correspondence with you?? But what says the Italian; Trust not, if thou would'st not be 'cheated.' So that it is still safest for Holland to rely wholly on its own strength, and to have always a good fleet at sea, to serve for convoy and cruising, besides a reserve in readiness to join them, in case of need. A good navy may well be called the right hand of that government, being of great use in dispelling many clouds and ill de. signs which France hatcheth against his neighbours. And, if ever the States should come to a resolution, continually to keep in pay a certain number of seamen, to be ready to be put a-board their men of war, at any time, this would produce a double effect.

The first is, that the States would always have men ready at hand,

upon occasion (without the expence of trouble and time in raising of them) who, by their continual employment, would be trained up, and well used to the sea, and naval conflicts.

The second is, that by this means they would not fail to draw a great number of seamen from the neighbouring coasts, continual pay being no small encouragement to mariners, to betake themselves to the service of those that offer it, but more especially the States subjects, in foreign service, would not fail to return to their own country, to enjoy the benefit of being maintained all the year round.

To effect which, the States need only to publish a placart, strictly enjoining all seamen, their subjects, in foreign service, to return home. True, indeed, it is, that the navy of France will but be little the better for it; for I dare affirm, they can fit out very few men of war, without putting some Dutch mariners, especially pilots, a-board them, as trusting more to their knowledge and experience than their own, who are often at a loss in long voyages. Which good and wholesome resolution, whenever the States shall be pleased to take, you will presently see the spirit of France strangely exasperated and disturbed, and his ambassador running from one city to another, to represent his master's just reasons against it. But it is hoped, that, as Count D'Avaux has much laid open himself to an obvious discovery, by the small effects his promises have had hitherto, as not being seasoned with the salt of truth and honesty (the main thing that keeps up the credit and reputation of a minister in foreign countries) so he will do nothing but catch cold. However, I cannot deny, but the French king is beholden to that great minister, for his having inspired a fondness for France into the minds of several of the States subjects, which their lordships have no reason to thank him for. Besides this, France receives no small service from the Jesuits, and other foreign priests, residing in the United Provinces, who have pensions allowed them, to pry into, and engage the inclinations of many there. These spies are in the prince's court, where they have friends, by whose means they make a shift to pry into the very secrets of the cabinet. How many of this sort of cattle are there in the States troops and garisons, who have their correspondents at the Hague, where the general office of intelligence is kept, as being the center of that government. This is a thing that ought to be more narrowly looked to, these spies being no other but the emissaries of France, who is always restless, and spares nothing that may further his designs. I remember, that not long since four ducatoons a week were proffered a servant of a deputy of the States, only to report what he heard from his master, at table, or in conversation with others; but the servant, with sharp words, rejected the proffer, as became an honest man.

This instance shews, that France sets upon people every way, and that, therefore, one had need always to stand upon his guard to avoid the blow. I have also observed, that there are another sort of petty spies, that run up and down the chief towns, especially the Hague, daily shifting their ordinaries, except they find occasion to stay longer, and are in prospect of some advantage to be reaped there, of whom those, who are obliged to frequent such houses,

ought to beware. Others intrude themselves into companies, or resort to the court, and go to see the prince and princess at dinner and supper, to hear and see what is said or done there; and, as soon as they have heard or seen any thing of concern, you see them run like footboys to the French ambassador, who, for a reward, invites them to stay and eat with him, he now entertaining scarce any but such at his table. I could name a dozen of them who, to my knowledge, are employed in this way, besides those that do it more secretly, and go to the offering only at night, and through the stable-door.

Count de Caravas, one of these spies of great note, though, in my judgment, of as little use, was not so cautious, who, coming from court, would go into the ambassador's at the fore-door, in the middle of the day, to communicate to him his collections. Two persons, whom I know to be Jesuits, though in the garb of officers, resort every day to the prince's rising, dinner, and supper, and con tinually attend the court, where they have so many friends, or at least so much cunning, as to be able to procure their Catholick friends some employment, who are all emissaries of France, and wholly devoted to the service of that king. Others have put themselves to serve even in the kitchen, where such sort of cattle are very dangerous. Therefore, I conclude, that both the States and Prince of Orange ought even in all respects, and at all times, to be very cautious of the wicked and unchristian maxims and designs of France, the king himself being a false and perjured person, who, under pretence of establishing the Roman Catholick religion every where (though by his wicked life and breach of faith he denies all religion) has no other aim, but to extend his dominion to the uttermost bounds of Europe, and to that end to destroy first all the protestant princes, and then the Roman Catholick too, that so he may cause himself to be proclaimed not the Emperor of the Romans only, but of all Europe; and certain it is, that nothing can serve him as a bridge to the universal monarchy, but Holland, which, from his Versailles, he looks upon with a most envious eye. So that the States and people of those provinces have great reason to mind the advice of our Saviour to the Jews: Watch, for you know not what hour the thief will come.' To which I add: Be ready, therefore, to oppose him when he shall come to break into the house, and usurp his neighbour's territories; and be sure to look upon France as a sworn enemy to republicks, and the plague and scourge of all that will not yield their liberties up to him.'

True it is, he fears the States, more than he loves them; care, therefore, must be taken, to be always in such a condition as may still keep him so, and to make him know himself, whenever he shall so far forget himself, as to meddle with what he has nothing to do. All the remonstrances made by Count d'Avaux, as soon as he sees the States putting themselves in a posture of defence, must not be minded, as being merely upon design; for we may be sure that minister would not make them, were it not for the promoting of his master's interests.

A

PHILOSOPHICAL AND MEDICINAL ESSAY

OF

THE WATERS OF TUNBRIDGE.

WRITTEN TO A PERSON OF HONOUR;

BY PAT. MADAN, M. D.

Temporibus medicina juvat; data tempore prodest,
Et data non apto tempore Lympha nocet.

[From a quarto, containing 26 pages, printed at London, for the Author, in 1687.]

MY LORD,

IT was your honour's pleasure to ask my judgment, concerning

Tunbridge waters, because I often recommend my patients to them; which, in my opinion, are not inferior in medicinal vertues to any spaw of that kind; for by their effects, which is an after-demon. stration, they are impregnated with a chalcanthous or vitriolate juice; which, with its sulphureous particles, irritates and moves the belly to a blackish excretion, and, by frequent drinking thereof, black. eneth the tongue, because this member, being of a spongy substance, imbibes some sooty sulphureous minims into its porosity, occasioning this tincture.

Thro' its more subtle piercing chalcanthous spirits, it provokes urine in a plentiful manner.

To these is admixed some ferrugineous juice, that contains a great deal of the volatile salt, which is it that is dissolved in the chalybeate wine, now so much in vogue amongst physicians.

His aquis ferrum inesse videtur in principiis solutis unde earum vis chalybeata intimius sanguine permiscetur, & potentius morbos expugnat, quam ferrum quocunque demum artificio nobilitatum.

These waters seem to contain iron in its unconcrete and seminal principles, whereupon their chalybeate vertue is more intirely mixed 'with the blood, and more powerfully attacks diseases, than iron prepared to the best advantage can.' Dr. SYDENHAM.

'Mars in itself consists chiefly of salt, sulphur, and earth. It has very little of spirit and water, and particles of the former ele ments, especially the sulphureous and saline in the mixt are com. 'bined together with earth, remain wholly fixed; but being loosed and divided from each other (as in these waters) have a very effica. cious energy.' Dr. WILLIS de Chalybeatis.

• Demonstrativo a posteriori.