IT is known to the whole Christian World that when the Peace of Numigen, within a little after its Con­clusion, was by the French King, many wayes vio­lated, and large Countreys and Provinces, contrary to the Express Tenour of the said Peace, were, under the new and strange Pretences of Re-unions and Dependen­cies and the like, torn away from the Roman Empire, (there being a kind of a Mock Court of Justice Erected at Metz and Brisac; in which the French Ministers acted the parts at once of Pleaders, Wit [...]sses, and Judges) that it [Page 2]was at last agreed in the Year 1684 upon the 15th of August, between His Most Sacred Majesty the Emperor on the one part, and the Most Serene King of France on the other, that there should be a Mutual Cessation from all Acts of Hostility, to be Inviolably observed for Twenty Years: And that, for the Honour of God, and the securi­ty of the Christian Religion which was in Danger, and not without great Advantage to the French Affairs: It being permitted in the mean time to the French, that they should have quiet and peaceable Possession of almost a Sixth part of the Provinces which after the Peace of Numigen remained of right to the Empire.

It is known also, with what strictness in the mean time, and Confidence in the King's Word, and favourable In­terpretation of all suspitious Actions, and Injuries, which His Majesty the Emperour suffered, and which the Prin­ces and States of the Empire often complain'd that they suffered from the Crown of France, the said Peace on the Emperours side was observed; And how His Majesty the Emperour trusting in the Faith of this League, was un­mov'd at every thing, insomuch that His Subjects as well as Forreigners did wonder, that He seem'd not to be in any Fear, though His Frontiers lay open every where to the French, if they wou'd break their Faith, there being scarce above one or two Legions to defend such a large open Country, the Confederates themselves being call'd away to Hungary, and the Frontier Carrisons such as Philips­burg, Constance, and the rest, being in a manner neglected and disregarded: And all to the intent that His Imperial Majesty might defend the Christian Religion in Regions far remote, though He saw in the mean time the French Forces unreasonably encreas'd, new and unnecessary Gar­risons made on the bank of the Rhine, which belong'd not to the French King: and that Fraud and Violence was e­very where to be fear'd from Him.

Certainly to this day there has not been any one Action on the Account of which the King might justly accuse the Emperor of so much as attempting to break His Eaith, much less of actually doing it. Nay those little suspicions which France lov'd to make to it self, as if Caesar had in Thought, or in his secret Wishes inclin'd to any such Thing, were by him immediately discuss'd, and the Mat­ter fully clear'd, by his great Moderation, in that he let alone what he might lawfully have taken, and generously omitted advantagious Opportunities, lest he might seem by any the least spark, to kindle the Flame of the French Jealousie.

Yet behold now again that Flame breaks out on a sud­den which the French Court unwillingly cover'd over for a time. The French seize on the Diocess of Cologne, In­vade the Palatinate, Besiege Philipsburg, and without ob­serving any Law or Article of the Peace, or so much as the Ancient Manner of King's going to War one with a­nother, the French King falls most unjustly upon the Emperour and the Empire, like one that had been long secretly a contriving it: And at last forsooth in His smooth-tongued fashion, not when He denounced War, but when He had already begun it, He orders His Fallacious Memorial to be presented us, in which He does not Excuse but openly Avow the Violence and Injustice of His Arms, as if He had been provoked to a War, and did not bring it on a sudden, upon those who thought nothing of it.

In those His Letters (or that His Manifesto) He publishes those which the Compiler of 'em calls the Causes, where­by the Most Christian King is induced to take Arms again against Caesur and the Empire, and by which He sayes the Christian World ought to be convinced of His sincere de­sire of the publick Tranquillity thereof; That forsooth His Sacred Majesty the Emperor intends to make a Peace with the Turk, that He may turn His Arms against France.

This He will have to appear, First, In that presently after the Peace concluded, the Emperour sought new Al­liances, which by divers Artifices and Craft were trans­acted at Ausburg, and Norimburg, contrary to the French Interest.

Secondly, For that, Although the Emperor were per­swaded even by the Popes Ministers, to turn the Twenty Years Truce into a perpetual Peace, yielding only thus much to France, that what the French now enjoy'd for so long, by vertue of the Truce, they should enjoy for ever, by this Peace, yet Caesar would by no means yield to it.

Thirdly, For that the Most Serene Elector Palatine has violently invaded and taken possession of divers Goods, moveable and immoveable, which belong to the Dutchess of Orleans, by Inheritance, from the deceased Lords, her Father and Brother; and hitherto detains 'em, finding means to elude by divers Arts the Patience both of the King and His Brother, but depending all the while upon the protection of the Emperor, whom He therefore has perswaded to make peace with the Turk, and to bring back His Arms to the Rhine, having enter'd into divers Leagues for that purpose.

For that in the fourth and last place, The Cardinal of Furstenburg contrary to the Holy Canons, the freedom of the Chapter, and the Instrument of peace, His former Faults which by the Emperor had been pardon'd, being brought into remembrance, and alledg'd against Him by the Emperors Embassador before a Session of the Chap­ter, is openly and expresly excluded from the Electoral Dignity, and the Most Serene Prince Joseph Clement of Bavaria by base Arts, the Pope Himself being seduced, and a Brief of Eligibility, as they call it, obtain'd from Him, to the scandal of all People, and the Forces of the Protestants being brought into the Electorate of Cologne, is violently thrust in, in His stead; with this malicious [Page 5]Intention, that he the said Clement of Bavaria, being by entring into Orders, hindered from Marrying, if the Most Serene Elector of Bavaria should happen to dye, as he is at present, without Issue (which may easily be, he exposing himself continually to so many dangers in the War) then a Family suspected alwayes by the House of Austria should be taken out of the way.

By all which ('tis said) it may appear clearer than the Sun at Noon-day, that the Emperour not regarding the desolation of the Arch-Bishoprick of Cologne, and the oppression of the Catholick Religion, does endeavour to have War made upon France at the Charge and Hazard of the Electors, Princes and States of the Empire, that so the Roman Diadem may at last settle on the Head of the King of Hungary (now a Child) and all Germany, large as it is, being torn away from the Kings Friendship, may fall under the most miserable Tyranny and Servi­tude of the House of Austria? Even as these things are more largely and invidiously set forth in the foresaid Writing.

When His Sacred Majesty, the Emperor, Read this infamous Libel, (infamous not to Him, but to the Au­thor or Authors of it) and saw in it not so much as a shadow of Reason, but the most impudent Slanders wickedly forg'd, both against His Sacred Person and the Popes, as also against the Most Serene Elector Palatine, He easily perswaded Himself, that it was quite contrary to the Sence of the Most Christian King, and therefore far from having been Read or Approv'd by Him, but that rather it was Compil'd by some Malicious French Minister of State; for that He believ'd the French King would not suffer willingly, that His Imperial Majesty, in a way so unusual betwixt Crown'd Heads, should be so unworthily Reproach'd, which matters he certainly knew in His Conscience to be False, or that the Reason of [Page 6]His own Actings, such as they are, should be written in such an impudent stile, and with such venomous reflecti­ons and interpretations of things: And therefore His Imperial Majesty doubted a great while whether He should think it worthy of an Answer, and not rather pass it over in silence: But forasmuch as the French Court is not asham'd, irreverently to Publish it, by its Ministers as well in the Emperors own Court, as at Ra­tisbone in the Dyet, and endeavours by such False and Contumelious Reasons to justifie Their bringing on Us a Cruel War, in a way little better than downright Treachery and Perfidiousness, without so much as de­nouncing it before hand, as the Law of Nations does Require, and has been often Agreed; and without let­ing us know what injury they had to complain of, but even deceiving us all by their fresh Assurances of con­stant Friendship, and pretended Kindness▪ Therefore His Imperial Majesty thought it necessary to demonstrate to the World the vanity and insignificancy of all those undeserved Imputations.

To begin therefore with that which is the Foundation, on which all the French Reasoning stands, viz. That the Emperor had resolv'd to make a Peace with the Turk, that He might fall upon France, that can with no more Truth be charged upon Him now, than it was the last Year at Rome in a Proposition made by Cardinal D' Estree. And as Impartial Judges will hardly believe, that so Re­ligious a Prince, supported by Gods help in the present War, and having all the success He desired, forc'd by no necessity, would so much as think of making a Peace with the Turks; without the Privity of His Allies, there­by to defile His Conscience with the rash Breach of a League made against the Ottoman Empire, and at the same time to incur the Just Censures and Complaints of the Pope, the King and Senate of Poland, and the [Page 7]Commonwealth of Venice; so how vain a suggestion the other is, that His Imperial Majesty should have an intent to make War with France, (when He has neither an Army nor Provisions at hand, nay when all His strong Places, Cities and Provinces, as the event shews, by too much trusting the Kings Word, are left in a manner de­stitute of Souldiers, and of all kind of Necessaries for Defence, and His whole Strength gone against the Ene­my of Christianity) every one will easily see who will but take the pains even slightly to consider, upon how weak and frivolous Arguments that surmise is grounded.

Those Arguments certainly amongst those that know nothing of the matter will scarce seem to bear the weight of a thin and brittle Conjecture; but to those who do understand it they will appear to be mere Fictions, which yet if they were true, would prove nothing to this purpose. For who is there that can draw so much as a probable consequence from hence, that because the Emperor favours the innocent in defence of Himself, and of the Alliances which His Friends have made, be­cause He refuses to turn a Twenty Years Truce into a perpetual Peace, without first hearing those that are con­cerned in it, and without any discussion of the matter, because by His Counsel and Help he sustains His Father in Law, the Elector, that France may not have the de­ciding of his Cause: Because Lastly, He removes Fur­stenburg, the Man that has been so fatal to his Country, and promotes to the Bishoprick of Cologne a Prince of great Expectation, of the Family of the Dukes of Ba­varia, which has deserv'd very well both of their Coun­try, and of that Archiepiscopal See: Who I say can hence draw but a probable consequence, that therefore the Emperor intends to take the first opportunity to make War with France.

Nay France it self, if it would but remember what was remonstrated in Letters to the Pope, and to His Most Christian Majesty both by Words and Writing the last Year, by the Count Lobcowitz the Emperors Embassa­dor, would doubtless acknowledge, that all the other superadded Arguments, and especially that drawn from the League Established at Ausburg, were vain and frivo­lous. For this League brought on nothing that was New, but only Established some Ancient Agreements betwixt the Emperor and some of the Circles of the Em­pire: It Renew'd what was necessary betwixt the Princes and States of the Empire, for the Circumstances of the present time: It tended to the hurt of none, but only to that which is most innocent, and allowed by all Law, their mutual Defence: And besides it took in but a moderate number of Heads, and a small Strength into it: And therefore the Mighty Crown of France did not need to be afraid of it.

Truly the forgetfulness of the Compiler of this Libel is very wonderful, that he will not so much as remember that his own King, to prevent all just occasion of quar­relling with the Emperor and Empire upon that account, before the Signing of the Truce, did Promise, that after it was Sign'd He would not be against the Empires Con­sulting the best ways for its own Safety. Nay, and it was expresly Declared in the very League of Truce, that such Agreements of the Empire might be strengthened by any kind of Guaranty of Forreign Princes. But the same Authors ignorance is yet much more to be admir'd, that he shou'd not know, that there is nothing more An­tiently Receiv'd in the German Empire, nor nothing more Agreeable to its Laws, then that the Members should alwayes most closely adhere to the Head for the Preservation of the whole Body. And Lastly, his Arro­gance or his Folly is greatly to be admired, that whilst [Page 9]he presumes it Lawful for his own King to make vast Pre­parations of War in His Kingdom, nay and under pre­tence of a League unjustly made with some of the Chap­ter of Cologue, to send His Forces into that Arch-Bishop­rick, He supposes the Emperor in the mean while to have so little to do in the Empire, that He may not so much as meet with the Princes and States thereof to con­sult about the Peace of their Country, without doing such an injury to France as must be revenged by Force of Arms.

His second Argument has much the same degree of Force and Validity in it, viz. That the Emperor refused to turn the Truce into a Peace: If He had wholly re­fused it, and that upon other Conditions, that were not so unworthy of the Emperor, and noxious to the whole Empire, as those which at that time happened to be pre­scribed rather than propounded by the Court of France, had that been any Crime? The Twenty Years Truce ought certainly to have been stood to, and during the continuance of that a Peace should have been Treated of, which His Most August Majesty never refused, pro­vided the King would agree to a Peace that was Honour­able, maturely considered and Just: There ought there­fore to have been a Meeting appointed, and both sides heard, and all the Chief Controversies concerning mat­ters of right, in those things which were attempted by France as well before as after the Truce, should have been Examined; and then might have ensued a Peace, every one having their own restored to 'em, by common consent, and such as might have been likely happily to continue.

The Most Christian King might remember, that at His desire the Truce was lengthened out to Twenty Years, both that there might be time enough to discuss and de­termine all Controversies, as it was fir, and that the [Page 10]Electors, Princes and States of the Empire, might with the greater security take Arms against the Common Ene­my of the Christian Name: And therefore that it cannot be without the French Kings breaking His Agreement, and violating His Word; that when scarce Two Years of the Twenty are gone about, and while the Turkish War yet lasts, He should so change His Mind, that nothing now forsooth should remain to be discussed or determined, but a sixth part of the Provinces of the Empire, must at once by a full and irrevocable Right be made over to Him. Now this is what the Emperor could not Lawfully have done, if He would: It would have been contrary to Right, and to the Tenour of the Truce, and they who had thought themselves injured would doubtless have withstood it.

Therefore His Imperial Majesty excused Himself as to this matter; and lest any the least suspition should re­main, He not only declared several times by His Letters to the Pope, and by a Writing exhibited to the French King by the Count Lobcowitz then Resident in the French Court, that He would keep inviolably the Twenty Years Truce, as well after the end of the Turkish War, as du­ring its Continuance, but also if the King thought it ne­cessary, He would confirm it by an Oath, to be deposed in the hands of the Pope: In which when the French King did then acquiesce, and with all did obtain that His mighty Building of Fortifications, which He had begun and desired to finish, though contrary to the Articles of the said Truce (and of the Peace of Westphalia and Ni­megen) should not be look'd on as a just Cause to break it, He promising over and over again the most sincere and constant Friendship during the whole Twenty Years: Any one may hence easily gather how frivolously this same pre­tence is made for the French infraction of their League, and what lasting Peace can be expected, if such idle [Page 11]Reasons may serve, to break His Faith, and overthrow His Agreements, so that a Twenty Years Truce can hard­ly last Four.

As for the Third Argument taken from the Succession in the Palatinate, His Imperial Majesty do'es not so espouse the Cause of the Most Serene Elector Palatine, as to de­fend it at all Adventure without its coming to a fair Try­al: But it is most evident that that Prince (who is famous all over the World for the Nobility of His Blood, the Probity of His Behaviour, and His great Wisdom and Prudence) did not violently Invade the Countreys of the Palatinate, but enter'd peaceably, observing all Forms of Law. Whatsoever things did undoubtedly belong to the Dutchess of Orleans by Inheritance, he willingly let her have. As for what was doubtful not being willing to be blindly prodigal of what He had, He thought fit to re­tain it, till the Matter were clear'd by a Competent Judge.

The French King has undertaken the Cause of the Dut­chess of Orleans, and given notice to the Elector Palatine to yield up what she pretends to: He appeals to the Court of Judgment, the Court Palatine of the Empire: This the King refuses. What if the Emperor should undertake the Cause of the Duke of Lorrain's claim to his Inheri­tance, for the sake of his dear Nephew, and should re­fuse to let it be try'd in France? Has the French King more right in the Empire, than the Emperor has in France? Afterwards there being a proposal of referring the matter to the Pope, the Elector Palatine admitted him as Media­tor (Arbitrator) whom he cou'd not allow of as a Judge without giving Offence to His own Court, by whom it shou'd be try'd, and without the consent of his Kindred, He sent a Minister to Rome fully instructed and informed. The Dutchess of Orleans sent never a one. The Pope sent a Monition to her, but all in vain; so that at last af­ter a whole years stay the Palatine's Embassadour was dis­missed [Page 12]by the deluded Pope. And yet very lately the French King's Embassador here at Vienna the Count De Lusignan assures the Emperor that His Master was re­solv'd not to depart from the Arbitration of the Pope, though he was very averse and unfriendly to Him. Thus the French King drills it on with vain Pretences, till me falls in with His Arms upon the Palatinate. And this is the true series of the matter.

That which is added concerning the Emperors being sollicited by the Elector Palatine to make War upon France, and a League made to that purpose, is all a Fiction. Neither is the Most Serene Elector so imprudent as to seek any gain by War, when, fall how it will, it will be sure to be most pernicious and fatal to His own Country.

The last Argument remains concerning the business of Cologne for the putting out of Furstenburgh, and thrusting in the Bavarian, which is so stuff'd with Calumnies, that from thence it may appear how destitute Frunce is of any Reason, or shadow of Reason to cover the Injustice of their breach of Faith.

What the Emperor did at Cologne He did according to Right, and agreeable to the Laws of Justice, and His Im­perial Office, and the Patronship of all Churches, there­unto annexed. He did exhort the Chapter to choose him that was best and fittest for the Church, giving Reasons why those Qualifications were not to be found in the Car­dinal of Furstenburg. He alledg'd his former Crimes upon no other account, but as they have been encreased by new ones. And the Emperor would willingly have forgotten all old Faults if Frustenburg would have laid aside his old evil Temper, and were not found still plotting worse things than he was guilty of before. But He left every one of the Chapter their entire Liberty as well in as af­ter the Election, He corrupted none of 'em by promises of Reward, much less did He Threaten, or use any Vio­lence; [Page 13]He did neither stir up any Foreign Forces to en­ter the Arch-Bishoprick, nor did He send in His own, but remitting the whole Controversie to the Holy Apo­stolick See, the only Competent Judge in this Matter, He quietly expected a Decision of it. Thus did the Empe­ror in the Empire: Did France do the same? But it may be the French King has more Authority not only in His own Kingdom, but in the German Empire. He violated not the Holy Canons, nor the Articles of Peace, nor the Liberty of Voting, whilst without advising with, yea a­gainst the Will of the Pope, first by secret Arts, and af­terwards by a great Sum of Money He got the Cardinal of Furstenburg into the Coadjutorship, by the help of such Voices as He had bought, whilst He made an unlawful Agreement or League at Luxemburg, Seventeen Months ago, and promised that He would not only send, but at His own Charge maintain a strong Army in the Arch-Bi­shoprick whereby he that was thus pretendedly postulated to the Coadjutorship, being not confirm'd but rejected by the Vicar of Christ, shou'd be upheld even against the Will of God, whilst lastly He terribly threatned the Grea­test Princes of the Empire if they offered to come, or so much as to matter a Word against Him. It was His Of­fences against the Apostolick See, and the Rashness of His Actions, and not any hatred against France, nor any In­tercessions of other Princes, nor any Conspiracies that Men may dream of, that made the Emperor zealous against Furstenburg, and enclin'd Him to prefer the Prince of Ba­varia, one already Bishop of Frising and Ratisbone, a Young Man indeed, but of great Vertue and pregnant Hopes, and whose Family has highly deserv'd of the Church. Is this a Scandalous thing? Let the People of Rome say, who at the Doors of the Consistory in great numbers did most highly applaud it, when they understood that Jo­seph Clement that most innocent and good Prince, by the [Page 14]unanimous Vote of that Assembly, was to be Arch-Bishop of Cologne. Let Italy speak, let Germany, yea let Eng­land and Holland, where Men that hated the very Name of the Pope, at once both Learn'd and Taught others on this occasion highly to commend Pope Innocent.

His Imperial Majesty does willingly acknowledge that He was glad when so great a Prince appeared as a Com­petitor in the Cologne Election, and that He most readily consented to the Desires of Him, and the most Serene Ele­ctor of Bavaria. But that this shou'd be done out of a wicked and base Design, that the whole Bavarian Fami­ly, suspected by the House of Austria, might the sooner be Extinct, this, as it is a great Wickedness but to ima­gine it, so the Boldness, Impudence, and Rashness of this Au­thor, who durst to write, and publickly object this against the Emperor deserves to be punished by the Hangman. The Imperial Court does not think of, much less practice such Wickedness. What the French Court does they know best. No body will believe such things can be done any where else. But all will easily believe, that which is indeed the truth, that this most Impudent French Writer had a mind to make the House of Bavaria jealous and suspicious of that of Austria, as it is the Custom of these paultry French Politicians, to poison all Courts with the Seeds of Discord that being divided they may fall the easier.

Thither to be sure that tends, that according to the French Fashion in a tedious digression He endeavours to whisper it into the Ears of the Electors, Princes, and States of the Empire, that the Empires design is to make War at their Cost, and by the Ruine of the Arch-Bishoprick of Cologne, and Oppression of Religion to obtain the Roman Crown for His Son, that is yet but a Boy, and to bring all Germany, being withdrawn from its Alliance with France into a dishonourable and miserable Slavery.

He endeavours to amuse their minds with such Stuff lest [Page 15]they shou'd agree and join together for their true Honour and common Security, thinking that the French King will easily rout 'em all severally, though if all shou'd joyn to­gether, they wou'd quickly drive Him away. And there­fore He strives all He can by Fraud and Craft, to cause Germany to forsake the Patronage and Auspicious Con­duct of the House of Austria. But the House of Bavaria is not so Weak, nor the German Nation so silly, as not to understand these Artifices which cannot easily be hid. And as the Most Serene Elector of Bavaria do's gratefully ac­knowledge the kind Offices which the Emperor at his Request did for his House in the Election at Cologne, so according to its usual Wisdom, it will but laugh at such little Sparks of Suspition, as it has done already, having had experience of these prating Sowers of Dissension; And will easily see, that there is nothing to be hop'd for from the French who seek but what they can get. But the German whoever he is, that is free from the Iron Yoke of the French, may easily see by the Oppression of the Peo­ple even in Germany it self where they come, and from the Condition even of their own Nobility and Gentry in France, whether comes nearer to Tyranny, the Governour of the House of Austria, or the French manner of Ru­ling; And will rejoyce truly that the Roman Crown do's not fall that way, whither the French Court has often shewn that they have designed it, and then especially, when after their Ancient Fashion without any regard to Honesty, to their Faith, their good Name, or to Consci­ence, they have not only cherish'd the Rebels in Hungary, followers of the Turk, by sending 'em Captains, Messen­gers, Arms, Money and large Promises, but also, as it is done even at this day, have stirred up and encourag'd the very Enemies of the Christian Name to War against His Imperial Majesty. As it may be manifestly prov'd by the Au­thentick [Page 16]Letters of the French Emissaries and of the Re­bels and others, which are ready to be produced.

And this is that which His. Imperial Majesty has or­der'd to be answer'd with as much brevity as possible, to that Contumelious Libel or French Manifesto, not to in­jure the Reputation of the Most Christian King, whom He believes to be induc'd to this unjust breach of the Peace, by the malitious and false Suggestions of those, who seek Gain by these Troubles, and who He believes wou'd not approve of such ill Language and unjust Railing against His Sacred Person, but to wipe off all the Scandal which this Impudent Writer has endeavoured to fix upon the House of Austria, and which the Ministers of France do every where scatter about, and to defend His own Inno­cence.

And moreover that this His Cause may be more and more publickly known and testified to all the Christian World He does publickly declare and call the Omniscient God to Witness, that He never thought any thing of brea­king the Truce, but that He was alwayes firmly resolv'd, and it is still His true and serious purpose to keep it invio­lably, if it will at last please His Most Christian Majesty to stand to the Covenant of Truce, and the Declarations which He made and reiterated but the last year from Paris, and not to endeavour to make any alterations. But as for pas­sing this Truce into a firm and perpertual Peace, He per­sists in that, that He will most candidly and willingly shew forth all readiness in endeavouring it, provided that a Commission being appointed for the dividing of the Bor­ders, and discussing the Controverted Rights, may pro­ceed in that Manner and Order as is agreeable to the Laws made betwixt France and the Empire. Wherefore if there be any regard to Justice in the Most Serene K. of France (as it is hop'd) His Imperial Majesty has good Reason to believe and trust, that He will of Himself Chastise and [Page 17]Correct the Calumnies and Slanders of this Scandalous French Print, will withdraw His unjust Arms, restore Dammages, bring back all into its Primitive State, per­mit the Most Serene Prince Clement, long since Legally Confirm'd by His Holiness, to enjoy quietly the Electo­rate and Arch-Bishoprick of Cologne, and will remit the Cause of the Prince Palatine to a competent Court of Judicature, in which His Imperial Majesty does promise that Justice shall be Faithfully and Impartially done: And Lastly, That He will suffer the Peace which He sayes He wishes for, to be procured in the time, manner and order as is set down in the Truce.

But if He be not willing to do these things, none can then suppose there is any other cause for the French King thus to revive the War, then that the singular favour of the Divine Providence, and the wonderful defence it has afforded to the House of Austria, are things displeas­ing to Him, or that He fears the great encrease and en­largement of that August Family, by their, late Victories which have carried the Empire beyond Belgrade; or that He has a desire to raise up again the beaten and de­pressed Turks by diverting our Arms, as 'tis said He has promised them. Or Lastly, That through too greedy a desire, not only of assuring to Himself for perpetuity, what He has got for a time by the Articles of the Truce, but also of Conquering the whole Roman Empire, He thinks Himself not oblig'd by any Pacts or Covenants, but that He may break them at any time at His Pleasure. Whatever it is, the Most Glorious King of France shall not escape the Infamous Mark of a Perfidious Prince that violates His Faith. And therefore His Most Sacred Im­perial Majesty does protest before God and the whole Christian World, that the said King is free to stretch forth His Hands either to the Fire or the Water, and either to [Page 18]abuse the felicity of His present Power, or in time to fear those Adversities which he provokes the Omnipo­tent God [...] Anger to send upon Him. But as for Him­self, being driven to the necessary Defence as well of His Provinces, as of the Sacred Roman Empire, the Electors, Princes and States thereof, He shall be blameless and free from all the guilt as well of the calamities like to follow from the War, and the effusion of Christian Blood, as of the Mahometan Superstition continuing still in Europe, and of the destruction of so many Christian Souls mise­rably groaning under the Yoke of the Turk.

The Author indeed of this Print boasts and glories that His Most Christian Majesties Arms are p [...]oved just from Heaven by their success wheresoever He moves 'em; but with what Truth let him shew if he can. His Impe­rial Majesty being fully satisfied of the goodness of His Cause, is resolved if it shall please God in this occasion to give prosperous success to the French Arms, He will never the less adore and Magnifie the secret Counsels of God, who has sometimes Chastized and Corrected even those whom He Loved, by such as Attilas: But He is glad that He has cause to hope better in this World. The Most High has thrown down and humbled the Turk that broke his League but a little before it was ready to empire: And He will also throw down and humble the French Violater of a League, which should have held Sixteen Years longer.

Vienna, Octob. 18th 1688.