ALthough the late Attempt Commit­ed on the Person of William Prince of Furstemberg, Plenipotentiary for the Elector of Cologne, in the very City of Cologne it self, the Place ap­pointed for the Treaty of Peace, hath been done by some of the Officers and Soul­diers belonging to the Regiment of Grana, one of the Regiments of the Imperial Army; yet the King of France would not at first look upon the Emperor, as being the Author of so Odious an Action, his Majesty ever reflecting on himself, and knowing, that nothing in the World ought to be held so Sacred and Inviolable among Kings and Soveraigns, as the true and exact observation of their Word. He thought he should do too great an Injury to his Im­perial Majesty, by believing him capable of viola­ting, by so horrid an Act, a Faith he had so solemn­ly given, not only to the whole Empire at the Diet of Ratisbonne, but even to all Europe, for the se­cure Neutrality of a Town, from whence all Chri­stendome did expect a happy Calm.

[Page 4] It was in that Prospect, and for no other con­sideration, that his Most Christian Majesty did sus­pend his just Resentment of such an Attempt▪ be­ing still willing to give the Emperor time to De­clare, that it was done without his Order, glad­ly expecting to see the Chastisement he should in­flict on the Offendors, to wash away the Blur they had made on his Reputation, by doing which, the Emperor would have made it appear to the World, that his Intention was not to infract the Publick Faith, nor hinder the present Negocia­tion for Peace. For these Reasons, his Majesty forbore commanding his Ambassadors away from Cologne, though the Neutrality of that Town, so lately violated, afforded him ground lawful enough, to fear they could not remain there any longer with Safety. And indeed, that which his Majesty so justly feared, hath since prov'd but too true in the sequel, the same Security which was violated before on the Person of a Publick Minister belonging to a Prince Allied to his Majesty, was soon broken afresh on that of his own Ambassadors, in the same Place, their Liveries and other Equippages having been pub­lickly Arrested, and a great and considerable Sum of Moneys belonging to his Majesty, seaz'd on, and detain'd forcibly, by Order from the Chief Com­mander of the said Regiment of Grana, the said Moneys being Loaded on one of their own Wag­gons. And all this done in a City, in which Free­dom and Liberty is allow'd, common to all the World: having besides, caus'd an Express, sent by the Count de Chamilly to the said Ambassadors, to be both Arrested and Searcht. In a word, Cologne which till then, had been Consecrated for the Pub­lick Security of all Europe, is by a monstrous Change, become on a suddain, a most Bloody Theater, where on those very Troops designed for the preser­vation of the Neutrality of the Place, being by the [Page 5] Magistrates of the same, Sworn to keep and main­tain it, have since exercised with Impunity, all the Outrages and Violences that both Avarice and Revenge can inspire. Notwithstanding all which, his most Christian Majesty hath hitherto forborn im­puting the least of those Exorbitancies to the Em­perors Orders, as being still willing to perswade himself, out of the Concern he hath for his Glory, that they were attempted without any Intent of his Imperial Majesty. But now since the Answer gi­ven at Vienna, to the Ministers of Sweden, makes it appear evidently, that the Forcible Stealing away of the said Prince William, was really an Effect of the Emperors Order and express Command, his Majesty of France can no longer doubt, but what hath been done since to his Ministers at Cologne, hath been a following Consequence, of the self same Orders and Directions. His Majesty therefore, both in consideration of that he owes to himself, and what the security of his Ambassadors requires of him in this Conjuncture, hath thought it not fit to leave them any longer exposed to these Violences, which will doubtless raise the just Indignation, as well as the Wonder of all Europe. Thereupon, his Majesty hath at the same time Commanded them to inform the Swedish Ministers, (who during the whole Treaty, have exercised the Mediation of the King their Master, by whose Great and Prudent Care, the said Assembly was convok'd together) of the Re­solution he hath taken to Re-call them home. The said Ambassadors of Sweden, having hitherto been Eye-witnesses, of those facil Means and Expedients his most Christian Majesty hath from time to time Propounded, for the making the said Negociation to take Effect: as on the contrary, they have seen what violent Courses have been used by the Emperor all along, to hinder and stop the Progress of the same; It's but Reason they should likewise see, what just and [Page 6] lawful Grounds do now oblige him to draw a pro­portionate Revenge upon his Enemies by force of Armes, for the slight account made by them of what ought to be most Sacred, not among Princes onely, but even among all Men; and by the same Force to compel them to Seek a Peace, they now strive to Hinder, by Means so Unjust and Unwar­rantable. Would the whole Empire but seriously reflect on the Emperors Conduct in this Conjuncture, it would evidently appear, that it includes in it­self, many Sinister Designs, which must needs prove fatal to her Liberty, if not timely preven­ted; there being nothing that discovers more the Injustice of a Design, than the odiousness of the means practised for the effecting of it. Had the Emperor therefore been less concerned than he was, in his hindring the Assembly at Cologne, from producing a Peace, he would never have had recourse to such Practises, as must of necessity Dissolve the strictest Ties and Bounds of all Humane Society: he would not have Violated the Neutrality of a Place appointed for the Treaty, by his Insults on the Per­sons of Ambassadors of France: he would not, I say, have suffered his Officers and Commanders to seize forcibly and violently on Monies appertaining to his most Christian Majesty, within the Walls of a Free City; but in a word, would have Acted in this Conjuncture, with more Candor and more Ge­nerosity, and in a War he hath rashly Declared against him; at least, if he had feared less than he seems to do, the end and consequences of it.

All the while the Conferences lasted at Cologne, and the Mediators indeavored to bring together the most Refractory Parties concerned; the Emperor alone, who fearing to see himself Disarmed by a Peace, and consequently made to lose that Power, he had usurped since the year last past, of Quarte­ring his Troops indifferently, and Conqueror like, [Page 7] in the Territories of all the Princes of the Empire, thereby strengthning his Armies at their Costs and Charges, by all which proceedings he did openly Contervene and Infringe, under vain and specious Pretences, the Treaties of Westphalia, and raising again a Power, heretofore so formidable to the German Liberty, and which Power could never be reduced to any lawful Limits, but after so many long and Bloody-wars. To add no more, the said Emperor dreaded nothing more, than to see by the Conclusion of a Peace at Cologne, the end of a Quar­rel meerly a Stranger to the Concern of the Empire, prove the End and Stop of those Designs he hath fram'd against the very Empire it self.

All these things duely Weighed, his most Chri­stian Majesty doubts not, but that not onely the King of Sweden himself, whose Honor is found so highly concerned in this Breach of a Faith, of which he was made Depository as Chief Mediator, but even all other Princes concerned, and sensibly toucht with a Desire of Peace, will not fail to im­pute to the Emperor, and him onely, the unhappy Dissolution of an Assembly that was both capable and likely, to have procured it to all Christen­dome.

The whole Empire may one day Remember, that her Tranquility might easily have been resto­red, had the Emperor brought to the Treaty, the same Candid and Sincere Dispositions, that his most Christian Majesty hath shewed all along, in and since the late Treaties of Westphalia; and that had his Imperial Majesty consented to Ingage his Word, not to Assist at all the Enemies of France, his most Christian Majesty would freely have Obliged him­self, to have caused his Armies to quit Germany at the same time, as soon as he should have received the said Promise from him. However, his Maje­sty notwithstanding what hath past hitherto, does [Page 8] still retain the same Sentiments for Peace he had before: The just Reasons that made him un­dertake a War, have not, nor do not lessen or di­minish any thing of his first Inclination, towards the Quiet and Calm of the Empire: And what ever Happy Success he justly hopes, God may please to Crown his Arms with, he shall never think them more happy, than when they shall reduce his Ene­mies to desire a Durable Peace.

Given at Versailles, the 24 of March, 1674.