Part 1

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AN ANSWER TO A Scurrilous Pamphlet,

LATELY PRINTED,

Intituled, A Letter from Monsieur _de Cros_, to the Lord ----

_Il n' point de plus courte vie que celle d'un mauvais livre._ _Mr._ Vaugelas.

_LONDON_, Printed for _Randal Taylor_ near _Stationers_-Hall, 1693.

An Answer to a late scurrillous Pamphlet, Intituled, _A Letter from Monsieur_ de Cros, _&c._

The Author of the _Memoirs_ had so little to apprehend in his Reputation either at home or abroad from the feeble Efforts of _Monsieur de Cross_ in his late trifling _Invective_, that had it not been for the repeated Instances of some Friends, who were unwilling to have such a wretched Scribler escape unpunished, he had never condescended to the severe penance of sitting an hour upon him. To their Importunities, and not to his own Inclinations is the Reader obliged for the following _Remarks_, which as they serve to justifie those particular passages in the _Memoirs_ that are so outrageously exclaimed against by Mr. _de Cros_, so they discover, _en passant_, several Intrigues hitherto not so well known or understood.

Though we may safely allow it to be some sort of Mortificatioa for any one to see himself lie under the lash of a Man of Wit; yet certainly 'tis infinitely more supportable than to be assaulted by a Malice altogether made up of Phlegm and Dulness. _Æneæ magni dextrâ cadis_, was said by way of Consolation to young _Lausus_ as he fell by the hands of that celebrated Heroe. When we lie under an unavoidable necessity of being encountered in Publick, 'tis some Comfort to be engaged with Bravery and Honour: In such a Case there is Reputation to be got if we come off with Victory; but to be forced to enter the Lists with a feeble, inglorious and despicable Adversary, is somewhat afflicting; there can be no Skill, no Dexterity shown in putting by his Thrusts, and there is no Reputation acquired by gaining the Conquest.

Certainly there never appeared in the World a Paper so little performing what it seems to promise in the Title page, so mean and undesigning, and in short so below the mighty Character of its Author who so often takes care to instruct us that _a great Prince and a King did not disdain to employ him as a Counsellor of State_, as this rambling, incoherent unthinking Letter. But perhaps it may be alledged by some of its Favourers, that the sincerity of what it pretends to relate, may atone for all its other palpable defects, since to use his own magnificent Expression our Deserter of a _Monk_ is pleased to assure us, _p. 9._ that _the only Heroe of his Piece shall be Truth_: And indeed the Matter wou'd be somewhat mended if the Case were so; but for certain Considerations best known to himself our Letter-Writer has been so complaisant to his Heroe, as not to give him any trouble at all. However this pleasant passage puts me in mind of a certain person of the Long Robe who a little after the Restauration, when writing of Plays was more in fashion than it is at present, must needs threaten the Stage with a Play; and as a Hero is a very necessary Ingredient in all or at least most Compositions of that Nature, he designed to furnish himself with a Hero that should work Miracles, defeat Armies, charm the Ladies, and make as considerable a Figure as any Hero that had visited the World for many Ages. After he had amused himself some Months with this painful Undertaking, a Friend of his happens to interrogate him upon this Article, and asks him what Progress he had made in his Play, and how his Hero fared. To which the poor Gentleman replied, that a certain Misfortune had befallen him which had put a stop to the Affair. In short, after a tedious Enquiry, he informs him that he had unluckily killed his Hero in the first Act, and so cou'd not for the heart of him tell how to advance any farther. This was fairly and civilly done in our Gentleman. He had cut out so much Work for his Hero in the first Act, that he had left him nothing to do in any of the rest; and therefore was obliged to dispatch him in his own defence; but Monsieur _de Cros_ never so much as introduces his Hero in one single Paragraph of his Letter: He threatens indeed to bring him in Play one time or another, but for all that keeps him still as invisible as a Fairy Treasure, and his Hero has no more to do throughout the whole piece, than one of the _Mutæ Personæ_ in the ancient _Drama_.

Monsieur _de Cros_ is pleased to address his Letter to a certain Noble Lord in _Nubibus_; for he no where takes occasion to name him, and this was certainly done with no other Prospect than only to recommend his Trifle the better to his Readers. He owns, _p. 3._ that _Sir_ W. T. _is a Man of some Merit, and that he has been employed a long time upon very important Affairs_, but then with his usual Confidence affirms that _he knew very little of the Secret of the late King of_ England's _Designs_. Sir _W. T._ no where pretends in his Memoirs that he knew the bottom of all the Court-Intrigues, that were managed with so much Artifice by the prevailing Ministry of those times; nay he congratulates his good Fortune that he was never made acquainted with them; and though from several remarkable Circumstances he has all the Reason imaginable to suspect that some things were not so fairly meant as was openly pretended, yet he knows no Reason why they should not trust him in any Occasions wherein the Honour of his Master or the true Interest of the Kingdom were concerned: And as for the rest, he thinks it the highest Complement the Ministry ever made him, not to disclose them to him.

Upon this Consideration says Monsieur _de Cros_, p. 4. _I had no great Curiosity to peruse the Memoirs, well judging that the Author was not able to give me any tolerable Light into the discovery of so many secret Intrigues that were carried on at that juncture: And besides_, continues he, _I had Reason to doubt whether these Memoirs were not principally designed to be a Panegyrick upon himself, and to blacken the Reputation of several Persons of eminent Quality and Merit, because_, adds he, _I was particularly acquainted with the Pride of Sir_ W. T. _who fansies himself to be the wisest and ablest Politician of his Age._ If Sir _W. T._ is that vainglorious and ill-natured Animal as Monsieur _de Cros_ represents him to be, he here solemnly promises him that he will never come to him to learn either Humility or good Manners; and if he has been severe upon any of the Great Men then in Vogue, he has done no more than what every Body almost in the Nation has done since. He barely contents himself with the Satisfaction of having been in some measure serviceable to his King and Country; and since he has not made his Fortunes at the expence of either, he supposes he may lawfully mention his Services without the horrid Crime of Ostentation or Vanity.

But to let the World see that Monsieur _de Cros_ has no Malice in his Heart, but that he really designs Sir _W. T_'s Good, he condescends p. 5. to give him wholesome Advice, and sets him Copies to write after. To this purpose he recommends to his Perusal _the Memoirs of_ Villeroy, _the Negotiations of_ Jeanin, _and the Letters of Cardinal_ Dossat, _in all which there reigns a Spirit of Sincerity and Modesty_. Sir _W. T._ never presum'd to set himself in Competition with any of those illustrious Persons; he is no Stranger to their Merits or Character, but is afraid that Monsieur _de Cros_ has proposed some Models to him which he never intends to follow himself. It was not Sir _W. T_'s Bookseller that called him _One of the greatest Men of this Age_, as Monsieur _de Cros_ falsely insinuates, _p. 5._ but a reverend Prelate of our Church, who published the _Memoirs_ without the Author's Consent or Privity; and who, in his Advertisement to the Reader, does not stile him _Un des Grands Hommes de ce Siecle_, as Monsieur _du Cros_ maliciously has printed it, but only _an Ornament to Learning and to his Country_: So that this being a Mystery to no body in _England_, he wonders how some People come to make such Blunders about it in _Holland_. But by this and several Instances of the like Nature, any man may easily guess what famous Exploits Monsieur _de Cros_ designs to perform with the Help of his _Hero_.

To make good the Charge of Presumption with which Monsieur _de Cros_ taxes the Author of the Memoirs, he cites a Passage, _p. 6._ which be found accidentally at the first opening of his Book; and assures his Noble Lord, that he doubts not but he shall be able in a short time to produce several others to the same Effect. _The Negotiations which I had managed at the_ Hague, _at_ Brussels, _and at_ Aix la Chappelle, _and saved_ Flanders _out of the hands of France in 1668, made them believe that I had some Credit amongst the_ Spaniards, _as well as in_ Holland. Indeed, as he has cited this Passage, any one would believe, that all the Glory and Merit of Preserving _Flanders_ was intirely owing to Sir _W. T_'s Conduct; and with this wrong Scent Monsieur _de Cros_ runs along very furiously, talks of erecting Statues, of the Ingratitude of _Spain_ and _Holland_, with abundance of other bitter things, with which his Indignation plentifully furnishes him at all times. But our Comfort is, that this Passage is nothing near so criminal and arrogant in the Original as our Letter-monger would have it; and therefore it may not be _mal à propos_ to cite it fairly. [A]_This I suppose gave some Occasion for my being again design'd for this Ambassy, who was thought to have some Credit with_ Spain _as well as_ Holland, _from the Negotiations I had formerly run through at the_ Hague, Brussels, _and_ Aix la Chapelle, _by which the remaining Parts of_ Flanders _had been saved out of the Hands of_ France _in the Year 1668._ In the first Citation it looks as if Sir _W. T_'s Management of the Treaty had wholly occasioned the Preservation of _Flanders_, whereas in the latter, if it meets with a true Construction, nothing more is meant, but that the Negotiations at the abovementioned Places, in which Sir _W. T._ had his share amongst the other Ministers that acted there, retrieved _Flanders_ from ruin. If we may believe Monsieur _de Cros_, he will positively tell us _p. 8. that all the Merit and Glory of the Peace as well as of the Triple League, ought in justice to be ascribed to the generous Resolution and Constancy of the States-General, who employ'd, upon this Occasion, a Minister who far surpassed Sir W. T. in Prudence, in Experience and all Abilities_. Sir _W. T._ has nothing to quarrel with Monsieur _de Cros_ for upon this last Article; (tho, as he is sure, no one is the worse for his Calumnies, so he thinks no one is the better for his Commendations,) nor is he insensible what a generous Part the States-General acted at this important Conjuncture, when the publick Repose of all _Europe_ so much depended upon their Resolutions and Conduct: Only he thinks it hard that _England_ should not be allowed the least Share in the Turn of these Affairs, and that the Ministers of so powerful a Crown should be passed over in Silence without any Mention or Acknowledgement, as if they had been reckoned abroad for so many Cyphers.

[A] _Memoirs_, p. 30.

After this Fit of Passion is over, the Weather begins to clear up with our Author, and, during this Interval, he makes bold to acquaint his Lordship, p. 8. _that he does by no means design in this Place to examine Sir_ W. T's _Memoirs to the Bottom; No, he will take some better Opportunity for that, and then, if God spares him with Life and Health, he fairly promises him a Volume of Remarks, at least as big as Sir_ W. T's _Book_. Those Persons that are never so little vers'd in the true Character of Monsieur _de Cros_, need not be informed that he promises mighty things, and performs just nothing at all. This unlucky shifting off his Resentments to a fitter Occasion, (tho 'tis certain he can never meet with a more proper one to unload himself of them) looks like making Exceptions to the Ground when a man is to meet his Adversary with his Sword in his Hand in the Field. In common Prudence he ought to have acquitted one part of the Debt now, and then the World would have been so civil as to have taken his Word for the Payment of the rest. However let this terrible Day come as soon as it will, Sir _W. T._ is under no Agonies at the thought of it: For let our Monsieur scribble a Cart-load of Books if he pleases, 'tis a sad but undeniable Truth, that 'tis in his Power to injure no man breathing by them but only his Bookseller.

_Had I the Vanity like him_, says the modest, self-denying Monsieur _de Cros_, p. 8. _to print my Memoirs in my Life-time, I have now a very fair Pretence to do it._ Well, certainly there never dropt in this World so unwary a Passage as this from the Pen of a Counsellor of State and all that! For who will now be ever brought to believe that Monsieur _de Cros_ is acquainted with the Intrigues of other People, and consequently in a Capacity of writing Memoirs, who is a meer Stranger at Home, and so utterly unacquainted with himself. _If I had the Vanity_; No, never fear it, do but consult a certain thing called a Looking-Glass every Morning, and thou mayst with a safe Conscience say _good morrow_ to one of the compleatest Pieces of Vanity in the Universe. But once more, _If I had the Vanity like him_, meaning Sir _W. T._ What Occasion Monsieur _de Cros_ had to pubblish so unjust and invidious a Calumny, no body can tell but himself; for had he consulted either the Reverend Publisher's Epistle to the Reader, or Sir _W. T._'s to his Son, or lastly maintained any manner of Correspondence with his old Acquaintance in _England_, it had been impossible for him to make so gross, so unpardonable a Mistake. All or any of these must certainly have convinced him that Sir _W. T._ knew no more of the publishing of the Memoirs than his ungenerous Adversary Monsieur _de Cros_.

Well, but to pursue him in his Reveries; _I should publish_, says our mortal Foe to Vanity, p. 9. _juster and more solid Memoirs than Sir_ W. T. _has done, if I had any Inclinations to appear in Print_; and yet to see what a strange Spirit of Contradiction possesses some people, he adds in the very next Lines that follow, _Not that I have the Presumption to imagine my self more capable of performing such an Undertaking than He is_. In the first place he proclaims it to all Mankind, that he is fitter to write just and solid things than Sir _W. T._ and secondly, before the Words are well out of his Mouth, he would not be guilty of so much presumption as to think himself better qualified for such an Undertaking than Sir _W. T._ If there be any meaning in this sensless inconsistent passage, it amounts only to this, _viz._ That 'tis possible for a Man to write more justly and solidly than another (as for instance Monsieur _de Cros_ (if you'll take his own Word for it) can write more justly and solidly than Sir _W. T._) and yet after all, with these two Qualifications, is not capable of writing better than he that has neither of them. Writing _justly_ and _solidly_ are none of Monsieur _de Cros_'s Talents; and therefore he was resolved to be revenged upon them.

What follows is extremely surprizing. _Whenever I put Pen to Paper_, says Monsieur _de Cros_, p. 9. _I will write without Complaisance, without Flattery, without Passion_: 'Tis strange he did not add _without Sence and Meaning_. No doubt but Monsieur _de Cros_ will write without Complaisance let him begin when he will; so far we readily believe him: But that he will ever be persuaded to renounce two of the dearest Qualities about him, Flattery and Passion, is somewhat hard to digest. 'Tis true he promises fine things all along, but is still so unkind to himself as to give us but very small hopes that he'll remember to be as good as his Word. And 'tis very natural for the censorious World not to regard what a Man promises, especially if he does not regard them himself. In this small inconsiderable Letter, as short as it is, he has taken care to exercise both his Flattery and his Passion; and if it was impossible for him to write four Sheets without calling them both to his Assistance, can it be supposed he can write threescore without a spice of them? Nay, continues the sweet-tempered Monsieur _de Cross_, _I will not express the least Passion, no, not so much as against Sir_ W. T. _but will do him the kindness to instruct him in abundance of things, which he poor Man has executed without knowing the true Reason why he was set on to do them_. This is an Effort of good Nature which Sir _W. T._ little imagined to receive at his Adversary's hand, and upon that score very much questions the continuance of it. Perhaps, as was intimated before, the Court might employ Sir _W. T._ in some Affairs, without acquainting him with the true Grounds and Motives; and 'tis evident Sir _W. T._ no where denies it. However if Monsieur _de Cros_ will so far oblige him as to give him a true Light into those Matters, he promises to receive it with all due Gratitude and Deference.

_I came not by this Intelligence_, says Monsieur _de Cros_, p. 9. _by being a Counsellor of State to King Charles the II._ How then in the name of Wonder came he by it? _But by having had the Happiness for several years to possess no small room in the confidence of a certain Minister, who has in several occasions of the last Importance been as it were the_ Primum Mobile _of that Conduct, which has surprized all_ Europe. 'Tis a scurvy Complement, this to the Memory of K. _Charles_ (whom for all that _de Cros_ pretends still to honour) to tell the World that Monsieur _Barillon_ (for that is the first Letter of this certain Minister's Name) an Ambassador of a foreign Prince, and one engaged in Interests visibly opposite to those of _England_, knew more of his Affairs than any of his own Subjects and Privy-Counsellors. The whole Nation is indeed satisfied that our Court was at that juncture too much influenced by _French_ Councils; but few will be brought to believe that the _French_ knew more of our own Affairs than we our selves did. By their Bribes and constant Application to the Ministry then reigning we grant they might know as much as we, but hardly more, unless it be proved that we did their Business implicitly, just as Sir _W. T._ run through several Negotiations for K. _Charles_, without knowing the Reasons and Grounds of them. As we have already observed, 'tis no new thing for our mighty Statesman to contradict himself, and he does it _trés grossiérement_ in this particular. Here he informs us that he owes all his Intelligence to his frequent Conversations with Monsieur _Barillon_; and a little below, where we shall, perhaps, examine this Matter more carefully, we are told, _p. 29._ that this Ambassador came not to _London_ till several years after his Arrival there, and that then he never maintain'd any Commerce with him _au prejudice de son devoir_, i. e. to the prejudice of his Duty. Now how Monsieur _de Cros_ as Counsellor of State to King _Charles_ the II. should be ignorant of several important Affairs relating to that Prince, but as the Confident of Monsieur _Barillon_, should be made acquainted with them, and yet all this while preserve his _Duty_ inviolate, is a contradiction fit to be reconciled by no Man but the Party that made it.

Having thus made it appear from whence he borrowed his Materials, Monsieur _de Cros_ very gravely assures his noble Lord, _p. 11._ that _after his death infallibly, and perhaps while he is alive_ (for alas, poor Gentleman, he never knew his own Mind above a quarter of an hour) _his Memoirs shall appear in publick, and there he will discover abundance of things the truth of which has been hitherto concealed with so much Address and Dexterity_. Lord what an insufferable deal of Impertinence and Noise have we already had about the intended Writings of Monsieur _de Cros_. First of all he promises, _p. 8._ to print a Book of Remarks upon Sir _W. T_'s Memoirs, and this Book is to be at least full as big as the Memoirs. In the second place, _p. 9._ he promises to visit the World with a Book of his own Memoirs, in which (to see how strangely Children and Books do sometimes degenerate from their Parents) there is to be neither one Word of Complaisance, nor Flattery, nor the least grain of Passion. Nay what is more remarkable, it shall reveal several important but hidden Truths; it shall unlock the Cabinets of Princes; it shall turn _Whitehall_ and _Versailles_ inside out, and in short come out with a hundred more Advantages than ever any Book before it could boast off.

But what will you say to him, if after all this Parade and Ostentation, he never publishes his _Memoirs_; for upon my Word the thing is extremely doubtful. Can it be imagined that a Man of Monsieur _de Cros_'s Christian Temper and Complexion will ever be accessary to any Man's Ruine, but especially to that of a great Minister of State, _who can be reproached with nothing in the World_, p. 12. _but only a blind Obedience to the Will of the King his Master_? No, no, he is far from pursuing the Destruction of any one, tho' never so great an Enemy to him; and therefore since his Memoirs will most _infallibly_ ('tis his own Expression, _ibid_) produce so tragical an effect, there's no Question but he may be easily prevailed with to suppress them. Besides what may serve to confirm us farther in this Opinion, he solemnly professes, _p. 12. that he still preserves a profound respect for the Memory of the late King, and that he has a great regard for several Persons of Quality who even at this time of day are deeply interested that he should hold his Tongue_. Now from hence I gather that as 'tis impossible for him to write his Memoirs without being somewhat familiar with the Reputation of King _Charles_ the II. (and if so, why does he quarrel with Sir _W. T. p. 38._ for _prostituting that Prince's Reputation_, since by this passage 'tis apparent that a Man cannot avoid the doing of it, provided he designs to write sincerely) so 'tis probable that this Consideration may incline a Man of his Compassion and Bowels to forbear the sacrificing a dead Monarch to his Indignation; especially since it must be attended with the unavoidable ruine of several eminent Persons still alive. Thus after a due Examination of the Matter, I find 'tis a difficult Case to resolve whether Monsieur _de Cros_ will _infallibly_ publish, or else _infallibly_ suppress his Memoirs.

If Monsieur _de Cros_ designed this Letter as a Specimen of what he shortly resolves to enrich the World with, he's extremely mistaken in his Politics. To pretend it is an Answer to the Impostures of Sir _W. T. Réponse aux impostures de Monsieur le Chevalier Temple_ (for all this it threatens to perform in the Title Page) and yet not to prove him faulty in one single Matter of Fact, but only in general Terms to say he is frequently mistaken, which yet the best Man in the World may be without deserving the Name of Impostor; and that care shall be taken to satisfie him better at some other Opportunity, was certainly the grossest and most absurd _Soloecism_ in the World. But not to dwell any longer upon this nauseous Chapter, I am sorry for my Reader's sake, who it may be expected a more agreeable Entertainment, that I have obliged my self to pursue Monsieur _de Cros_ from Paragraph to Paragraph: For Connexion being the least thing he troubles his Head with, his Answerer, of Consequence, must be forc'd to ramble along with him: But this being too late to be prevented now, I return to him once more.