be put in Poffeffion of the Monarchy, and France obliged by Force to a due Obfervance of the Treaties which fhall be made, fince Experience has taught that the Faith of Oaths is not fufficient to bind her. At the fame time, the Subtility of the French perceiving they cannot destroy this Monarchy by the Means of a Partition (which is not hear'ken'd unto) endeavours to rednce it as low as they can by maintaing the War in Spain; fo that this Kingdom, having loft its Strength and Power, may not as formerly) obftruct their Great Defigns; · for on this fitm Rock it is that the Waves have always been broken, with which their Ambition has. endeavoured to drown the Liberties of Europe. To 'this end, how many falfe Suggestions and deceitful Reports have they spread abroad, as well of my being dead, as concerning Religion, which no body can be ignorant of; by thefe Scandalous Methods preverting the unwary Spaniards, and making them Inftruments of the unhappy Ruin of their Country. But ftill they are in time to prevent fo 'fatal a Blow to their own Honour and Intereft, and not to fuffer Hiftory to be ftained with fo foul a 'Blot, to the Difgrace of themfelves and their Pofterity. It is therefore most juft, that whilft the French are endeavouring to tear this Monarchy in 'Pieces by their Foreign Negotiations, and by keeping up the Rage of War in the Heart of it, the Spaniards appear in its Defence; as not only Reafons of Policy,but even Natural Inftinct,directs them that they unite firmly together, whereby they will be enabled to fhake off the heavy Yoak of the French, and to drive out of Spain those ancient and implacable Rivals of their Glory. "The Motion of the French Troops to winter in Castile, in a Seafon fo far advanced, leaving their 'convenient Quarters, is a plain Indication of their 'ill Defigns: For upon any Event their Intention is to retire to France, wich the remaining Treasure of Spain, colouring their Marches with plaufible Pretences; fo that when the Spaniards fhall difcover, their ignominious Treatment by thefe Proceedings, there will be no time left for their Relief. This Danger being fo great, it is not eafy to be lieve that there fhould be a Spaniard who will not join his Endeavours in this juncture to difperke 'fuch deceitful Guefts, and to make them pay exemplarily for their Villany, in deceiving thofe that 6 trusted in them, and delivered themselves into their Hands. It ought not to be forgotten what Frenc practifed with thofe of Meffina; abandoning of them entirely, and leaving them to beg for Protection in most of the Courts of Europe: The fame the will do by the Spaniards, if they do not open their Eyes in time to avoid it; nor will their Fortune be better than that of thofe unhappy People, for they ought not to expect that thofe who have endeavoured their Ruin in Spain, will afterwards treat them well in France, it being a great Error to forlake the Endearments of a Natural Mother, for the rough "Treatment of a fevere Step Mother; for Nature will not change. It is unneceflary to remind the Spaniards of the Violences they have experienced from the Government of the French in this unhappy time of the Duke of Anjou's Ufurpation, fince they are fo vifible, as well as the vain Chimeras the Enemy "make ufe of to deceive them. "Every one muft plainly fee, how the French would hide their corrupt Defigns with the Veil of Religion. For at the fame time that they were procuring the Extirpation of the Catholick Religion in Hungary and Tranfilvania, and placing in thofe Dominions Proteftant Princes, Exciting and Aiding thofe Rebels in a War (which no body can deny) "was grounded on the pure Motive of Religion; who fhall be fo efy as to believe that Religion is their Motive in Spain, where their Pretences are 'fo different? And tho', at the fame time, they were carrying on the Negotiations at Constantinople to ftir up the Arms of the Turks against the Empire, yét there was found more Truth in thofe Infidels than in the French, who have not been able with all "their Perfwafions to procure a Breach, nor the vioTating the Oath made for the Security of the laft Treaty: So few Years have paft, that our Chriftian Zeal cannot forget the happy Succeffes that at"tended the Glorious Arms of the Emperor,, my Lord and Father, (of bleffed Memory) penetrating into the Ottoman Dominions; fo that there was good ་ good Grounds to hope we fhould have feen the moft Glorious Standard of the Crofs difplayed on the Walls of Constantinople; there having been no fuch favourable juncture to Christendom fince the Foundation of the Ottoman Power, as then occurred, for the reducing it to the lowelt Ebb, had not France to abruptly began a War with his Imperial Majefty upon Pretentions of the Dutchess of Orleans, not being able to frame any of his own, even with the help of his ufual Equivocations. This Fact is fo notorious, that no body (though very remote from Publick Affairs) but must have heard it lamented, as a Misfortune to Christendom, abhorring the Proceedings of the French in a Cafe in which the Propagation of our Holy Catholick "Faith was fo deeply concerned; and comparing the Circumstances of fuch notoricus Facts, (without calling to mind many others more ancient and often repeated) it appears plainly who it is that studies and endeavours the Encreafe of Religion, and who hath most earnestly endeavoured its Prejudice. Although the Reports that have been difperfed in Castile, in Gazettes and Manifeftoes, That I had given Publick Churches to the English and Dutch, for the Exercife of their Religion, are unworthy of my Obfervation; yet this being a Point that fo much wounds the Zeal of a Catholick Prince, "{for which I ought fo highly to value my felf as Son of that moft Auguft House, which hath been 'an Example to the World in the maintaining at all times the Purity of the Catholick Religion) I am 'obliged to declare the Falfity of thefe Suggestions: For that in Catalonia, Arragon, and Valentia, ever fince my Arrival, the Divine Worship hath been obferved with the fame Reverence as was always 'practifed in thefe Religious Countries; the Troops of my Allies obferving fo exact an Order and 'Military Difcipline, that there never hath been any ⚫ manner of Complaint or the leaft Irreverence to'wards the Churches, or what is Sacred and placing at the Feet of Jefus Chrift the Falfities which have been difperfed on this Subject I próteft, that' if I thought there would happen through my means the leaft Detriment to our Holy Catholick Religion 'to avoid it, I would not only renounce the Domini . on on of the Crown of Spain, but of the whole Un verfe; valuing more the happy Name of a Faithful and Beloved Son of the Church, than all the Crowns of the World. My Allies in this War neither have had, nor 'have any other End, than to fupport with their Arms my Juft and Clear Right to the Monarchy of Spain; and that France, with her Ambitious Defigns, fhould not opprefs the Liberties of Europe. This is their true Intereft and Maxim; in which it appears to me, they proceed with to much Purity and Faithfulnefs, that as foon as ever it fhall hap pen a Peace is concluded, they will immediately withdraw all their Troops out of Spain. Thefe plain Demonftrations I have thought fit to reprefent to the Spaniards, moved to it by the great Love I have for them, that they may awaken out of the unhappy Lethargy in which they have hitherto liv'd; and if they do it without delay, they will find in me the grateful Reception, which all my Subjects who have and do come over to me, have experienced; as the Spanish Officers, Civil and Military, who were in Flanders when thofe States were reduced to my Obedience, and under my Dominion, (I having commanded they fhould be maintained in the fame Pofts and Employments which at that time they enjoyed; as alfo many Officers, who, repenting them of their Error in ferving the Duke of Anjou, 'have returned to their Duty in my Troops, have not only found among them the Degrees and Commands they had with the Enemy, but greater Advancements; which is notorious to all. 6 Every one may judge what a powerful Army I shall draw together on the arrival of the Troops which I 'fuddenly expect on board the Fleet of my Allies; and if I meet with Oppofition in my March to my 'Court of Madrid, I fhall be obliged to lead them 'thither: From whence will refult to the Kingdom of Caftile, that inevitable Ruin that attends the 'Fate of the War, which my Compaflion towards them inclines me to avoid; and this can be done by no other Means, than that the Spaniards, uni"ting to fo glorious a Purpose, fhould break the io. 'famous Chain of their Liberties, expelling out of *Spain our common Enemy the French. And the Fleets ' Fleets of England and Holland paffing into Italy to fupport my good and faithful Subjects, whom the French Tyranny doth opprefs in the Kingdoms of 'Naples and Sicily, we fhall not only obtain a fudden Recovery of the whole Body of the Monarchy. but 'transfer the Theater of War into France, that her Provinces may fuffer thofe Calamities her Policy hath endeavoured to continue in Spain, and that 'fhe may reftore to this Monarchy all the unjust Ufurpations fhe hath made upon it in the laft Age; which I trust in God to effect, and that in order thereto I fhall have the Ailiftance of the Spaniards, with that Zeal and Readinefs which are fuitable to their Intereft: But if, on the contrary, flighting my Paternal and Pious Advice, they fhall con'tinue obftinate, I fhall be juftified to God and 'the World both, fince there is nothing omitted 6 on my Part to make them truly fenfible; and them'felves will be the Caufe of the general Deftruction of their Country, and their own Ruin; for proportionable to the Mercy I now offer, will be 'the Wrath which they fhall experience in my juft 'Anger. And as I fhall difpence Rewards, Honours ' and Favours, to the Fidelity of thofe that have fol'lowed me; fo will I punish thofe who do not fe parate themfelves from the contrary Party. Given in Valencia the 22d of December, 1706. ' 6 1 the KING. By Command of the King our Lord, Don Henrique Gunter. Both thefe Pieces were, by Order of the Privy- |