Attempt to Conquer three Potent Kingdoms. King _William_ had in a
manner the whole Kingdom in his Design at his Descent, he also had the
_English_ Army secur'd to him, he brought over 15000 Veterans in a Fleet
of 600 Sail, but this sham Descent was destitute of all these
Advantages. I don't question but _Lewis_ XIV, as he proposed an End in
this Politick Amusement, so it answer'd accordingly; but as for poor
King _James_, I know no Benefit either He or his Friends reap'd from it,
besides the Fatigue of a _Norman_ Progress, and having all the Jacobites
in _England_ imprison'd, fin'd, and plunder'd; so that to gain a few
Acres of Land to _France_, _England_ must be exasperated to let all the
Laws loose upon both Protestants and Roman Catholicks that were
Well-wishers to King _James_. And yet though the French Court obtain'd
their Ends in one Respect, they suffer'd from the Hand of Providence in
another. I wou'd not be thought to pry with too much Curiosity into the
hidden Paths of Providence, otherwise I should be apt to judge that the
Destruction of the _French_ Fleet at the _Hague_, look'd somewhat like a
Judgment from Heaven for amusing an unfortunate Prince with a false
Prospect of Happiness, and yet that loss has been sometimes objected to
King _James_, as marr'd upon his Account, so dextrous are the _French_
in turning Things to their own Credit.

After this you may well imagine I took a new Resolution not to part with
the Prospect I had of making my Fortune in the Post I was in, joyning
Company therefore with three or four more Officers who belong'd to the
same Army in which I serv'd, we set out with all Expedition. I don't
remember to have been better diverted upon the Road, since I first knew
what it was to Travel; one of our Company was a _Provincial_, and the
very Quintessence of Wit and Gaiety. There was not the most trivial
Occurrence but he dexterously made use of it to divert us, particularly
at a small Village within a Days Journey of _Lions_. The Bailiff of the