THE CASE of the War in
ITALY
STATED: BEING A SERIOUS ENQUIRY HOW FAR
GREAT-BRITAIN
IS Engaged to Concern it Self in the Quarrel between the Emperor and the King of
Spain.
Pax Quaeritur Bello.
LONDON:
Printed for
T. Warner,
at the
Black-Boy
in
Paternoster Row,
1718. Price 6
d.
THE CASE of the War in
ITALY
STATED:
&c.
THE Eyes of
Europe
seem at this time to be turn'd wholly upon the King of
Spain
's New Undertaking against the Emperor. The Reasons of his making this Attempt, his Catholick Majesty has published by his Ministers, and the Memorials, or Letters, which they have given in to the several Courts of the Princes where they reside, fully express the Pretension of the King of
Spain,
and the Reasons why he takes this Occasion to break with the Emperor.
These Memorials, or Letters, are first, The Letter of Seignior
Grimaldi,
Secretary of State to the King of
Spain,
directed to the
Spanish
Ambassadors, or Residents at Foreign Courts; Secondly, The Memorial of the Marquis
Beretti Landi,
Minister for the King of
Spain
to the States General, and the Memorial of the Prince
de Cellamere
at
Paris,
to the Regent of
France,
all on the same Subject, and all tending to justify the Conduct of the King of
Spain
in this Affair, besides the declaration by word of Mouth from the Marquis
de Monteleone,
the Ambassador of
Spain,
to his
Britannick
Majesty.
The sum of all these Memorials, for they are too long to repeat here, may be drawn up and abridg'd in the following Heads,
viz.
1
st.
That the Emperor does not acknowledge King
Philip
to be King of
Spain,
but gives him only the Title of Duke of
Anjou,
assuming to himself the stile and Dignity of King of
Spain, Spanish
Majesty, likewise all the Titles attending the Possession of the
Spanish
Monarchy; that He (the Emperor) whom the King of
Spain
therefore calls only
Arch Duke,
has Erected a Council at
Vienna,
which he calls the Council of
Spain
; That he Confers Titles and Honours, such as Grandee of
Spain,
as if he was really King of
Spain
in Possession, and the like.
2
dly,
That these things are Evedences of his resolving to attack King
Philip,
and Chace him out of
Spain
it self if he was able, or when he shall be so; and in the mean time, takes all Occasions to shew himself a mortal Enemy.
3
dly,
That the Emperor Broke the Terms of Peace and Neutrality, even as soon as they were made,
viz.
That when (his Imperial Majesty) consented by Treaty to quit
Catalonia,
where in a few Days more he must have been overcome, and been reduced to the necessity of having fallen into the King of
Spain
's Hands; yet he did not quit the Towns and Strengths, as he ought to have done, by Consigning them into the King of
Spain
's Hands, to whom they were to be surrendred, but gave them over to the Rebels the
Catalans,
encouraging them to hold out against his
Spanish
Majesty, by promising to return and assist them, which occasion'd the shedding of much Blood, and the Expense of an Infinite mass of Treasure, to reduce those Places to Obedience.
4
thly,
That he not only encourag'd the Rebel
Majorkins
in their Rebellion against his
Spanish
Majesty, but actually sent them Ships, Men, Money, Arms, Provisions, Ammunition,
&c.
to support them in their Rebellion against the King of
Spain
; Exhorting them also to maintain their Rebellion, in hopes of farther Assistance.
5
thly,
That the Imperial Governor of the
Milanese,
has, by order from the Emperor, Arrested, and put in Prison, the Abbot
Molinez,
a Person Sacred by his Character of Grand Inquisitor, Reverend by his Age, and who ought to have been so by the Pasports which were given him at
Rome
from the Pope, with Approbation of Count
Gallas
the Imperial Minister there; and lastly, who having given no Offence in Person to the Emperor, is visibly Arrested, as an Affront to his
Spanish
Majesty, and an Insult upon his Government.
6
thly,
That his Imperial Majesty has himself broken the Neutrality of
Italy,
by extorting Immense Sums of Money from the Princes of
Italy,
on pretence of its being their just Due to pay towards the carrying on His War against the
Turks.
And
Lastly,
That this being a particular Conjuncture for the King of
Spain
's Purpose, favourable for his Designs, and the like, his
Spanish
Majesty thinks he cannot let slip so fair an Occasion, as well respecting the Troubles in
Hungary,
as the general Discontent of the People of
Italy,
and their readiness to enter into Measures, for the effectual delivering themselves out of the Hands of the House of
Austria.
These are the General Heads of the Charge, as may be seen by the said Memorials or Manifestoes of the
Spanish
Ministers, to which I refer, they having all been made publick in the common Printed Papers of the Town, as to the pretence of the Emperor using Artifices to secure to himself the Succession to the Estates of the Grand Duke of
Tuscany,
That I look upon as Trifling and without Foundation, and therefore not worth naming among the rest.
It is not our business to enquire here, whether these Objections are just, and whether what is Alledged can be made good in Fact,
viz.
That the Emperor has done so and so, as above: Nor is it the present Question, whether if these Allegations are just, they are a sufficient Argument for the King of
Spain
to take up Arms, and begin a War in
Italy.
But the Design of this Tract, is to Enquire how these things respect the other Powers of Christendom; and what Part it is probable they may take in the Quarrel; and by other Powers here, I am to be understood, to mean in particular the
Dutch,
the Kings of
France
and
Britain,
the King of
Sicily,
and the Cantons of
Swisserland,
what share they are like to have in the Quarrel, and whether they are bound by the Treaty of Neutrality to Concern themselves in a War for the keeping the Possession of
Italy
to the House of
Austria,
yea, or no.
I begin with the King of
Sicily.
To make short with his Story, I shall look on him as one of the Princes of
Italy,
for such he is: We see his Majesty acting a very subtle Part, as indeed it stands him in stead at this time to do. It is true, the
Imperialists
threaten him, and notwithstanding all his Protestations of being resolved to pursue the Neutrality, they mistrust him, and seem as resolv'd to fall on him in their Way; nay, some say, they resolve to begin with him. No Man will be so weak as to ask what is his
Sicilian
Majesty's Business if he is attack'd; but the Question with him seems to be, whether his Majesty having now a very great Army on Foot, in a Readiness for Action, and apprehending the Imperialists will certainly attack him, ought not, by way of Prevention, to begin first, having so clear an Advantage, and an Opportunity, which it is very probable, may not be offer'd again, I mean, as that of joyning with
Spain?
This is the Question which the Politicians who consider not what is right, or what is wrong, but what is fittest to be done, respecting the Interest of the Party; I shall in brief state what I think will be the Case here, and as therein I give only one Opinion, let others judge as they see Cause, and let the Event determine. In a Word, I say, I think it seems unavoidable, and the King of
Sicily
cannot be unconcern'd in a War, if it follows, and that his Majesty will not fail to oyn his Arms with the K. of
Spain
; only that this cannot be expected till the
Spaniards
have landed a considerable Body of Men on the Coast of
Italy,
either in the Kingdom of
Naples,
or perhaps higher up, towards the King of
Sicily
's own Country, which is more than probable, by the
Spanish
General's demanding Passage of the State of
Genoa,
for an Army into the
Parmesan.
This therefore being so near a Decision, and at present, representing it self to our View as unavoidable, I lay it down as a thing most certain, either voluntarily of himself, or forced by the Imperialists themselves, will certainly joyn with
Spain
in this new Enterprize; and I must tell the Imperial Ministers, who talk so loudly of the Certainty of the King of
Sicily
's Ruin in such a Case, and let the Event be what it will, there is great Reason to believe, many, if not all the Princes of
Italy,
seem to resolve to run the Venture of it, if the
Spaniards
give them but a little more Encouragement. What their Dependence and Encouragement are, Time will not fail to discover.
I will not say, but these Princes may have their several Grievances, and may have just Reasons to complain of the Violences and Oppressions of the House of
Austria,
I am willing in Compliment to their Integrity, to suppose, tho' not to grant, the Imperial Governours have perhaps exceeded their Commissions, or that even their Commissions have been in some things invasive of the Right of the several Powers complaining, contrary to Justice, and to a Treaty of Neutrality; and I will give these Complaints their full Weight, when I come to examine the grand Question,
viz.
Whether for this they ought to take up Arms, and destroy the Neutrality, in which the preserving their Rights is not the only Question; but by which the Ballance of Power in
Europe
is preserv'd: In which Ballance of Power, most, if not all the other Powers of
Europe
are concern'd, at least those Powers are, of whom I am more particularly to speak.
In this Circumstance then I lay down the State of things in
Italy,
at this time,
viz.
That the Princes of
Italy
are in a present Disposition to Revolt, and that the King of
Sicily
is in the same Case, and that they only want a powerful Protection of some other Potentate to support them, and that therefore we may expect, if the King of
Spain
appears thus able to protect them, they will certainly joyn with him whenever a powerful Army appears.
The King of
Spain
's Pretensions then, and the Princes of
Italy,
being thus stated, the Plot among them seems to be discover'd,
viz.
That the King of
Spain,
on the Foundation of his own Grievances only, shall begin the War, and according to the Success his
Spanish
Majesty meets with, the other Princes shall declare themselves; so that if the King of
Spain
should not be able to carry on the Design, they may all retreat to their Solemn Protestations of not being concern'd in the Quarrel of
Spain,
and may make smooth Water with the Emperour, when they find themselves unable to raise a Storm: But on the contrary, if the King of
Spain
can force his Way into
Italy,
and dispossess the Imperialists, so as to protect them, then they will declare themselves.
Upon this Foot I shall treat the Affair in general; if I do any Wrong to the Princes of
Italy,
it will be time to acknowledge it when the Wrong appears.
But to proceed to the History of Fact: The King of
Spain,
according to this Scheme, has begun the War, and serving himself, of the Emperor's being perfectly destitute of any Marine Power, and of the unhappy Conjuncture of a furious War with the
Turks,
he invades the Dominions of his Imperial Majesty, in particular, the Island of
Sardignia,
which the
Spaniards,
having a powerful Fleet, and the Imperial Government not three Men of War, could no ways be reliev'd.
Here we stop a while, and make a Transition at once to the Courts of
Great-Britain
and the
Hague.
The
Spaniards
were not so ignorant, as not to know, or so dull, as not to think of it; That the Powers or Courts above mentioned, who had all severally so great a Share in making the Capitulation, or Treaty for the Neutrality of
Italy,
would interest themselves in this Affair, as having charg'd themselves with the Guarantee of that Neutrality, and therefore his
Spanish
Majesty caus'd, not only the Letters and Memorials mentioned above, to be presented in the Nature of Manifesto's to the said Courts, but made often a repeated Proposal of stopping their Proceedings, till time might be given to the pacifick Princes and Powers, who he thus appply'd to by such Methods as they thought most proper to bring his Imperial Majesty to listen to Reason, and to do Justice to his
Spanish
Majesty's Pretensions.
These Proposals being taken
Ad Referendum,
did indeed entitle the said Princes and Powers to make the needful Representations to the Emperor, and to make use of all the good Offices they found for their Purpose, to induce the Emperor to refer likewise the Matters in Dispute to their Mediation, as the King of
Spain
likewise offer'd to do.
By the way, I must here observe as I go, in order to make every thing clear to the Reader of this Enquiry. 1. That these Powers were more or less, all of them engag'd before as Guarantees of the Treaty of Neutrality in
Italy.
2. That tho' their being so Guarantees qualified them the better to be Mediators; yet this Mediation, if they had accepted it, does not by any Means tye up their Hands from, or lessen the Right they have to act as Guarantees of the Neutrality of
Italy.
3. That we do not find in the Proposal, any Conditions made with them, that this Offer should subsist only in case they declar'd themselves accepting the said Mediation. 4. We do not find that the King of
Great-Britain,
their High Mightinesses the States General, and the Regent of
France,
did actually engage in any such Mediation. But 5. that being willing to do all good Offices, for the preserving the Peace and Tranquility of
Europe,
they have concerned themselves, in the most earnest Manner to his Imperial Majesty, in what the King of
Spain
demands, and to induce him to accept of the Proposals of his
Spanish
Majesty, in Order to a Treaty.
But while this is depending, and before they have been able to obtain any Answer, or enter into any Negociation on the Proposal, we find
Spain
entirely regardless of the offer'd Suspension of her Conquests, and taking no Notice of the Engagements she had enter'd into with his
Britanncik
Majesty, and other Powers, as above? I say, we find
Spain
vigorously pushing on her Advantages, making Preparations for new Enterprizes, and even by her Ambassador, the Prince
de Cellamare,
at the Court of
France,
declaring publickly, that she intends to do so; this last Declaration being indeed so inconsistent with those mentioned above, deserves to be remark'd as follows;
SIR,
THE loose Rumours, and the surprizing News, which have been current some time since at this Court, as well as in the other Courts of
Europe,
that the King my Master, designed for some secret Enterprize, the Ships and Troops which he had assembled at
Barcelona,
together with the Instances, continual Representations, and extraordinary Applicacations made at
Paris
and
London,
by the
German
Ministers and their Friends, who were alarm'd upon the first Advice of such an Enterprize, out of a Remorse of their own Conscience, have kept me to this time under an Uneasiness, which your Excellency, who knows sufficiently my Zeal for the Glory of the King my Master, and how devoted I am to his Service, may easily imagine, as well as the extreme Agitation those Rumours have produc'd in me; but that Trouble was throughly calmed, by a Letter which I received from Monsieur the Marquis
Grimaldo,
whereof I have annexed a Copy to this Memorial, which I have the Honour to deliver to your Excellency.
I have the Satisfaction to see therein the Reasons that have induced the King my Master, to undertake to recover
Sardignia
by Force of Arms, set forth in such a manner, as ought to perswade all the World of the Justice of this Expedition. My Penetration, tho' not very extensive, had already afforded me a Glymspe of the Solidity of those Reasons, which are grounded on the Infractions made by the Court of
Vienna,
of the solemn Treaties for the Evacuation of
Catalonia
and
Majorca,
and the Non-performance of the Conditions on which the Suspension of the Arms in
Italy
had been concluded. Such Contraventions can never be forgotten!
I put therefore into the Hands of your Excellency, a Copy of the Letter of M. the Marquis
Grimaldo,
that you may be entirely and fully porswaded of the Justice of the Arms of his Catholick Majesty, and be able more exactly to acquaint the Regency therewith. I cannot add any thing to that Letter, but a Reflection,
viz.
That as the King my Master, has forbore hitherto to attack the Arch-Duke in the Dominions he has usurp'd from him, upon two Motives, equally wise and important; so he does not do it at present but at the utmost Extremity, and after the Archduke has violated all the Regards due to Crowned Heads, and after he has put upon him the Affront of seizing with Violence the Great Inquisitor of
Spain.
The first Motive is, that the King my Master, whose Courage and Greatness of Soul are worthy of his Birth and his Throne, resents much more what wounds his Dignity than the Enterprizes that are made chiefly against his Interest, of which I am an unexceptionable Witness, having seen to what a degree his generous Courage was provoked, when he heard the unjust Violence and odious Usage suffer'd since the loss of the Kingdom of
Naples,
in the Prisons of
Milan,
on the Part of the
Germans,
by the Viceroy the Marquis de
Villena,
and the other General Officers, who serv'd under him, amongst whom I have the inestimable Glory to have been distinguished by a particular Attention of the Enemies of the King my Master, to abuse me.
Your Excellency will immediately perceive the scond Motive. The last Affront offer'd by the Archduke to the King my Master, at a time that he did not expect to receive a new one, has had the effect of a new Weight put into a pair of Scales already full, and has immediately turn'd the Ballance. His Majesty would have nevertheless made a Sacrifice of his Resentment, to the Holy Maxims, which are the Rule of his Conduct; and would have given it up as a new Victim to the Good of Christendom, if he had not seen that the Naval Forces of the
Venetians
and the Princes their Allies, were Masters of the Sea in the
Levant
; and lastly, if he had not been fully convinc'd that he was under a necessity to make an Enterprize of great Moment, in order to prevent new Outrages, and confound the Pride of his Enemies, who to satisfy the Pride of their Hatred, and terrify People by their Wickedness, have seized a Clergyman, whom Old Age and Infirmities render'd an Object of Compassion; trampling under foot, by their cruel Usage against his Person, the Laws of Nations, and the Treaties, which ought to have protected him against all Imprisonments; and the rather, because with the Consent of the Minister of the Archduke at
Rome,
he took his Way thro' the
Milanese
with a Pass given him by the Pope. The Archduke, in violating that Pass, has shewn little Respect to the Supream Head of that Church, against whose Enemies he boasts so much to fight at this time.
I pray God to preserve your Excellency as long as I wish it. Sign'd,
The Prince de CELLAMARE.
Before I enter then upon the main Question of a War, I think here occurs a particular or previous Question to be Considered,
viz.
Is this proceeding of
Spain
an Affront to the King of
Great-Britain,
and to all the Powers to whom those pacifick Proposals were made, and who so willingly began their good Offices with his Imperial Majesty, or is it not? Is it using his Majesty well, or is it oftering the highest Contempt to his Person, and to the Interposition of his Interest, as is possible to be offer'd? Is it not a Breach of Faith and Honour? In a Word, Is it not dealing Deceitfully and Dishonourably with His Majesty, making use of his good Offices to Amuse and Deceive the Prince who they were proposed to serve; and in a Word, making a Property of the three most Potent Powers of
Europe,
in order to advantage himself of their Civilities; and, as before, he had Deceived
Europe
in the matter of his Armament by Sea, on Petences, and indeed Promisses, of fitting out a Fleet for the Assistance of the
Venetians
against the
Turks,
so now Deceiving the Emperor by the fraud of a specious Proposal, which no Prince could have such mean thoughts of the King of
Spain,
as to believe he was not sincere in? It cannot be suggested that in this the King of
Great-Britain
is used well, or used really as one Crown'd Head ought to use another; nor can it be suggested, but that when Occasion presents, and Circumstances concurs, His Majesty knows very well how to Resent it, and is not without the Means of making his
Spanish
Majesty sensible of it.
But our question at home is it seems of another nature, and indeed something of a new fashion,
viz.
whether we shall be willing the Honour of the
British
Throne shall be so far asserted, as that His Majesty shall, upon the single Point of being Affronted, Engage in this matter? or whether we shall leave the
British
Powers to be so far depreciated, as to take no notice of such Usage, and consequently to be Affronted on all occasions by all the Kings of the Earth?
However for once, and to gratify the Opposers far beyond their Expectations, and to leave room for all their specious soft ways of covering these things over, I shall give way to their Harangues upon the circumstances of the Nation,
viz.
That we have lately been involv'd in a heavy War, which has brought an insupportable Burthen of Debt upon the whole Kingdom; That we are but just entering upon Methods for working out of those things, and have scarce tasted the sweet part of any one Article worth naming; That all the Savings of the last Year have not eased the People of one Tax, neither can they in some years yet
to come, and that it will be a great many years before we can possibly give such Ease to the poor People, as to bring their living, and keeping their Families, to be as Cheap to them as before, and yet their Provisions are even dearer than in time of War: That all neighbouring Countries are reducing their Expence and lessening their Debts, and in a fair way to be out of Debt before us, even tho' no new War should be Commenced: But that every year brings with it some new load upon
Britain
to keep her low, as for Example, the Rebellion for one Year, the
Swedish
Affair for another, and if now we Engage in a War with
Spain,
we are in a fair way to continue the Charge of all the Taxes and Funds that are upon us, besides what new Demands may be necessary, and so the Nation will for ever sink under a weight already own'd to be insupportable.
To all these things, they add the supposition of a War with
Spain,
the Consequences of it to our Commerce, which after a long Decay, and suffering infinite Convulsions in the last War, began to revive again in all parts of the World; but will immediately be overwhelm'd in the most sensible parts of it, such as the Trade to
Spain
it self, the Assiento Contract, the Trade to
Italy,
and the like; and perhaps the Effects of our Merchants and South-Sea Company,
&c.
be seized by the
Spaniards.
This is a long Detail of plausibles, which indeed our People begin to fill their Mouths with in this Case, and in some of the particular Cases they are not without weight; It is true, our Debts are many and great, and the Nation wants a recess of Taxes; it is true, our
Spanish
Trade is Considerable, and the Effects of our Merchants are Great Abroad, and may be liable to be Confiscated by the
Spaniards.
I'll add to this, That we have Reason to believe from the Wisdom, and the pacifick Disposition of His Majesty himself, from the Prudence and Moderation of his Councils, from the just Desire the King must necessarily have to restore the Tranquility of His Subjects, and from a willingness once to Enjoy his new Dominions in Peace, and see his People flourishing in Arts and Trade, by which they are now in a fair prospect of making themselves more than ever, the Greatest and most Opulent Nation in the World.
But against all these Things, doubtless there are other matters that weigh something in the Scale of this Question, and which merit to be considered by themselves; I shall fetch nothing remote to make good the deficiency, for the Subject is but too fruitful of Argument, and the Necessity will appear even at first sight, if we go back Historically but a little way into things past, and compare them with the visible prospects of things to come.
The Great, and indeed the true Reason, which was always alleg'd for the pushing on the late War at so vast an Expence, and the continuing it thro' so many Difficulties, as at first for many years obstructed the Success of it, was the fixing the Ballance of Power in
Europe.
It was for this, That so many Powers of
Europe
Confederated to reduce the Exorbitant Power of
France,
by whose Conquests and Ambitious Designs that Ballance was destroyed, and the Nations of
Europe
in Danger of submitting at last to an Universal Tyranny in the Conqueror.
It was for this that the Glorious King
William
fix'd the
Pyrenean
Treaty, as the boundary of his Demands from
France
; and declar'd, if
Spain
went beyond those limits, he would be then as much a
Frenchman,
as he was then a
Spaniard.
It was for this that such long Struggles were made to prevent the
Spanish
Monarchy falling into the Hands of the House of
Bourbon.
It was for this we Complain'd so warmly of the Measures in the last Reign, and of the Conditions of the late Peace, as betraying the Confederacy, and destroying the Great End of the War, by giving up
Spain
to King
Philip,
who at that time was entirely in the Interest of
France.
It was for this all the Renunciations of the Treaty of
Ʋ trecht
were entred into, and the weight of the Argument acknowledg'd, even in those very things which were said Eventually to betray it, and by those very People who have been so openly Charg'd with leaving it unprovided for, or not sufficiently secur'd.
It was on the Pretence of this being sufficiently secur'd, that the People who made the Peace of
Ʋ trecht
justify themselves, and tell us that it was a good Peace, and that it fully answered the end of the War.
It must then follow, that even those very People ought to be the first to declare, that what ever Prince breaks in upon that Ballance, Destroys the Efficacy of the Peace, and brings us into the same necessity of renewing a War, that there was at that time for Beginning and Carrying it on.
As the Ballance of Power was the Reason of the War, so it is the only Basis of the Peace; whatever Prince makes an attempt upon that Ballance, declares War against all the rest, as they are naturally Guarantees of the whole; or else they tacitly declare that there was no just Reason at first, from the Interruption of that Ballance, to begin the former War, much less to carry it on as they did, which would Arraign all the Princes of the Confederacy, and Charge them with Ambition, Unjust Invasion, and Blood.
These Points carry their own Evidence with them, and admit so little dispute, that it would seem a meer spinning out our Discourse, to go about proving, or farther explaining any part of them; all the publick Transactions, Declarations of War, Memorials and Treaties, which were severally dispers'd thro'
Europe
in the Time when these things were done, are full of it, and may be all call'd up as Evidences to this one Great Principle of the Policies of
Europe, viz.
That Preserving the Ballance of Power in
Europe,
was the Reason of the War, and the Grand Preliminary of the Peace.
This then being laid down as a Fundamental to argue from, it follows to enquire in few Words, Is the dispossessing the House of
Austria
of their Dominions in
Italy,
and reuniting those Dominions to the
Spanish
Monarchy, a Breach of this Ballance of Power, or is it not?
I need go no further for Arguments to set forth the Importance of those
Italian
Dominions, than those made use of by the Gentlemen, who magnified them as most mighty Additions to the
Austrian
Greatness, when they would have perswaded us, that giving those Parts to the Emperor, would make him too great for the rest of the World, and overthrow that Ballance they were given to preserve.
If then those Dominions, whose Dependencies and Influencies are indeed equal to their Power, were scarce thought safe to be given to the Emperor, and were not thought safe to remain to the King of
Spain,
because of the Ballance, which would thereby be in Danger; How then can it consist with the Ballance, to have them snatch'd out of the Emperor's Hands again, and return back to the same Hand from whence they were taken?
This Consideration alone, obliges not
Great-Britain
only, but even the whole Confederacy, as one Man, to Declare against this Invasion of the King of
Spain,
and to oblige him to put a Stop to his Attempts, or make War upon him; otherwise, the End of the late War is defeated, and the Effect of the late Peace is destroy'd.
Nor is it sufficient to say, the Emperor had those Dominions conquer'd for him, and put into his Hands, and he ought to take Care to maintain his Possession; for, if the Emperor is, by any Incident of War,
as the present War with the
Turks,
for Example,
expos'd to the Possibility of a Surprize, it would shew a very ill Concern for the general Good of
Europe,
to let his Dominions, which we thought our selves so much concern'd to get for him, be lost again, because he (the Emperor) may not be able to prevent it.
It was for our own Sakes, and for the Publick Safety of
Europe,
in which the whole Confederacy were concern'd, that the War was carried on; it was not to aggrandize the House of
Austria,
that these Dominions were conquer'd, but to weaken the opposing Enemies, whose Power was too great; and they were allotted to the Emperor, not because his Arms had Conquer'd them, for without the Help of the Confederates, he neither did conquer them, nor could have Conquer'd them; but because it was meet, in Order to preserve this great Article of the Ballance, I say, it was meet for the Good of all
Europe
that the Emperor should have them.
Likewise speaking of the present Conjuncture, it is not meerly in Compliment to the Emperor, whose immediate Interest or Family, we have no Concern in, that we are interested in this Affair; but it is the common Interest of
Europe,
the same which so many Years War was carried on for, and the same which the Peace was; or ought to have been made for: For this common Interest it is meet that these Places, these Dominions in
Italy,
should remain to the House of
Austria
; and they must remain to that House, or that Ballance be so far destroy'd, and the Ends of the Confederates are not answer'd.
It remains then to judge, whether
Great Britain
can quietly and unconcernedly look on, and see the great Ends for which they laid out their Blood and Treasure with so much Chearfulness, and for so many Years, destroy'd at once, and a Foundation laid for the same Necessity of Blood and Treasure to be laid out again? Can we sit still, and see Measures taken, which have in themselves a direct Tendency to renew the War? Those pacifick Gentlemen who plead so earnestly in Behalf of Peace, should tell us the Meaning of the ancient well known Maxim,
Pax quaeretur Bello,
and whether a timely Exerting the Strength which is now in our Hands, may not be the only Way to establish Peace, and prevent War?
It is much easier to keep things in the Posture they are in, than to restore them again after the Blow is given;
Italy
is a large Country, a Conjuncture offers to the ambitious Views of the King of
Spain,
which perhaps may be in it self tempting enough; the delicious Morsel, seems, as it were, dropping into his Mouth; the Discontents of the People there are represented as very great, and perhaps they are so; it may be, the
Germans
have not treated them very kindly, they have oppress'd them with heavy Taxes, preferr'd Foreigners to the Places and Preferments which the Natives have claim'd a Right to, carried away their Native Troops to serve the Emperor in his Wars in
Hungary,
Extorted great Sums of Money and the like: What can we say to this, had they applied to any Foreign Princes to have interceeded for them to his Imperial Majesty, none of the Confederates would have refus'd their good
Offices,
as far as the Custom of Nations would admit one Prince to concern himself in the Government of another: But that these Grievances should entitle them to Revolt, and to go back to a Prince from whom the whole Interest of
Europe
was concern'd to separate them; This quite alters the Case: And to say we must sit still, and permit and suffer it, as we have acted in the same kind our selves, and from the Principles of Liberty we insist upon for our selves, this is saying nothing to the purpose, for our Views are in this the Liberties of
Europe,
and not the Liberties of
Italy
; the first we are Nationally concern'd in, not the last: Nay, if they were together in one bottom, we should no otherwise be concern'd in the Liberties of
Italy,
than as they were on one bottom with those of
Europe
; but when they are opposite to one another, the Case is quite alter'd. The particular Rights of the
Italian
Princes or People are quite out of the question; the thing before the Confederates is, the preserving that Ballance, which is the Foundation of the Liberties of all
Europe.
Nor can we say in this Case that the Confederacy is Dissolv'd, and the Affair is now no more a Common Concern: The Common Interest is the same, and the Princes, as I said, even Natural Guarrantees for the preserving it.
Much might be said here for the Nature of this War, the Injustice of the manner, as well as that of the pretences for it: But it is true, these regard the Emperor rather than us: However, I shall collect the Particulars, that we may view them, and that the World may judge of, what Honour, what Equity, is to be expected from those Powers, who can satisfy themselves to give
Europe
Cause for such Complaints as these. Some of them are to be found in the Pope's Letter to the King of
Spain,
where his Holiness expostulates warmly, and even almost calls it perfidious Treatment,
viz.
1. That his
Spanish
Majesty promises and engages his Royal Word, to him the Pope, that he would not offer any Disturbance to his Imperial Majesty's Dominions in
Italy,
during his being thus engag'd in a War with the
Turks.
2. That his
Spanish
Majesty engaged to his Holiness, to send a powerful Fleet into the
Levant,
in Aid of the Christian Princes against the
Turks,
which Fleet was to joyn the
Venetians,
and act in Conjunction with the other Auxiliaries; whereas, on the contrary, this Fleet was not only not sent to the
Levant
against the
Turks,
but has been employ'd against the Christian Emperor, at the same time when his Imperial Majesty had employ'd his whole Force to resist the Enemy of the Christian Name, and not only has been thus employ'd; but the
Venetians
have been thereby abandon'd, and left to struggle with the superior Force of their Enemies, to their great and unspeakable Loss and Disappointment, and to the great Hazard of Christendom; and the
Turks
being hereby left Masters of the Seas, after two bloody Engagements; which had the
Spanish
Fleet been joyn'd, would either not have been fought, or if they had, the Christans might have obtain'd a most glorious Victory, or at least, the Triumphs of the Infidels had been prevented, and the Effusion of the Christian Blood been saved. 3. That in order to this Equipment for the Service of Christendom, his
Spanish
Majesty demanded of his Holiness, a Brief for the raising a great Sum of Money from the Clergy of
Spain,
which his Holiness granted. Likewise, a Hat was insisted for the Abbot, now Cardinal
Alberoni
; upon the granting which, and the King of
Spain
's promises of sending the said Squadron with all Speed against the
Turks
was renewed; yet all these Engagements were laid aside, and the Power rais'd to fight with the Enemies of Christ turn'd against the Christian Emperor in a Manner so surprizing, as to the Faith and Honour of his
Spanish
Majesty, as is not to be express'd in better Terms than in the Pope's Letter abovesaid, to which I particularly refer.
It is true, as I have observed, that these Breaches of Faith and Honour, do not in particular affect us, or relate to
Britain
; but the Reader may consider them, and compare them with the Memomorials and Declarations of the Marquis
de Beretti Landi,
in
Holland,
and some the like here; wherein his
Spanish
Majesty offers, or promises to stop his Preparations, and proceed no farther than the Conquest of
Sardignia,
but leave the Matters in Dispute with the Emperor, to the Mediation of his
Britannick
Majesty, and their High Mightinesses the States General,
&c.
And yet, as all Advices now say, and even the King of
Spain
's Minister in
France
acknowledges, his
Spanish
Majesty resolves to push his Advantages to the utmost, in Pursuit of his Quarrel with the Emperor.
I am loth to make indecent Reflections upon Persons exalted to the Dignity of Sovereign Princes, and always retain a Reverence to the Majesty of Crown'd Heads; and therefore, forbear all those Reflections which some People make upon his
Spanish
Majesty, as a Branch of the House of
Bourbon,
suggesting that such things as these seem to be Copying after the Pattern of
France.
I wish his
Spanish
Majesty would adhere to the Maxims of Honour, so strictly adher'd to, and so nobly practis'd by some of his glorious Ancestors on the Throne of the
Spanish
Monarchy, rather than send us back to his particular Progenitors, or to a Court, where such things have formerly been too much practis'd; and which I mention with the more Caution, as the World seems to acknowledge, the Court of
France
it self is acted now by other Principles, and may be expected, in a few Years, to establish other Maxims, as well of Policy as of Honour, differing from those which brought it so eminently to the Gate of Destruction.
I see nothing can be said then why the King of
Spain
should be suffer'd unopposed, to push on his present Designs, which are founded on such Trifling pretences, and on such Dishonourable Measures, unless we can say, that we have no Concern in the General G
od of
Europe,
and that we are not as much
oncern'd to keep any new Power from Growing too Formidable and Exorbitant in
Europe,
as we shall be afterwards to pull it down; and if it will be our Concern, as most certainly it must, to reduce every Exorbitance of Power in
Europe,
and preserve the Ballance on which the Tranquility of
Europe
Depends, it must be our
rudence to prevent the first rise of such Exorbitance.
As to the disadvantages to our Commerce Abroad, our inability to Engage in the Expence at Home, our being in Debt, and oppress'd with Taxes, and the like, they are all Granted, and I make no doubt, that as it is natural to infer from thence, that we should by no Means Engage in any New Expence if it be possible to avoid it; so I believe, as is said above, That His Majesty will not be prevail'd on to use Force in this Case, if all possible Good Offices between the Parties can prevent it, and if Reason will take place; in a Word, that His Majesty will not bring us into a War without an absolute and apparent Necessity.
But let us not Depreciate our Country so much, or lay our selves so low neither, as to suggest that we cannot do, what we cannot in Honour and Justice avoid; that would be to say, We are so weakned by the late War, that we are not able even to resist an Enemy, if we are Attack'd.
If our Power is Contemn'd if the Honour of the
British
Crown is slighted, if Princes come to think so meanly of
Britain,
as not to think it worth while to keep their Words with us, it is indeed attacking us: They that will break their Promises with
Great Britain,
How long do we think they would be before they would break the Peace with his Majesty, if they found it for their advantage to do it?
To be Treated thus, is to be attack'd in the worst manner, and Great Princes have always resented the breach of Faith with them, as the worst Affront that could be put upon them; and I hope, none will suggest in this Case, that a Breach of Faith with the King, is not a Breach of Faith with the Kingdom, and that in a manner more particularly provoking.
As to our Trade, perhaps it may be true, that the King of
Spain
may take some advantages against our Merchants; but let such People who are frighted at those appearances, remember what infinite Advantages our superiority at Sea gives our Subjects in War with
Spain
; let them remember Queen
Elizabeth
's Reign, when the whole Nation was visibly enrich'd by a War with
Spain
; and to this, let me add, should we now heartily set about a War with
Spain,
Spain
giving the Occasion, it is no hard matter to shew how infinite Advantages may be made of it in the
Spanish West-Indies,
Capable to make full Reparation for all the Damages our Trade can suffer: But of that hereafter.
Laslty,
Let it be observ'd, that this Discourse does not tend to an immediate Declaring War against the King of
Spain
; it takes it for granted, that Necessity obliges some Princes of
Europe
to joyn to preserve the Neutrality of
Italy,
and as has been hinted to the
Spaniards,
to act against those that would break that Neutrality; if this leads us to act against the King of
Spain,
it is not
Britain,
but the King of
Spain
that leads us to it; and if in doing this, the King of
Spain
takes if for a Breach of the Peace, it is his
Spanish
Majesty that begins the War, and not the King of
Britain,
and the Consequences must lye at their Door, and not at ours.
FINIS.