Nunc aut Nunquam, PEACE Now or Never; Being a DIALOGUE Betwixt Jack and Will, Upon the present Juncture of AFFAIRS.  
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Snowden in Great Carter-Lane, and sold by E. Whitlock, near Stationers-Hall. 1697.   

Nunc aut Nunquam, &c.  JAck. 
Sir, your Servant.  Will. 
O your most Humble; well! old Lad, how move Matters now? You're a Man of Intrigue, Intelligence, and staunch judgement; you can Penetrate and Distinguish, prithee be Open and Candid.  Jack. 
Why, Faith so I will; you know I ever was so; for tho' our Sentiments differ in some particulars, yet in this agree, to Cultivate and Improve the Sworn Amity between us, which shall not be violated on my side upon the Score of any Revolution, or Change whatever.  Will. 
Nobly resolved, and I concur; but come on, communicate a little.  Jack. 
All the Tattle has been( you know) for several Months past, and is still about Peace, a General One, with respect to Europe, that paradise of the World, our best and most beloved abode.  Will. 
Well! and what think you of't? I am sensible you can guess shrewdly, for you are the Ears as well as Mouth of a politic Party( at least so in their own Thoughts;) you pretend to have the best and purest Intelligence, which is a great help to you in your conjectures, which at the beginning of the War fell pretty pat, and hit often very well, but now towards the down of a Peace, you all seem to be mightily mistaken in your Notions, which is to be imputed chiefly to your immoderate Zeal for the late King, and plaguy partiality to the French Interest.  Jack. 
We may be a little too fond of our own Fancies, and too warm for the Side we adhere to, but 'tis pardonable in us as well as others, because all parties are apt to exceed in those Points. But a propos. Are you so silly to imagine there will be Peace? at least yet a while!  Will. 
Yes, I am, and doubt not at all but we shall have a very good one too, and that speedily, even sooner than you think for.  Jack. 
Say you so truly? alas you are damnably deceived, 'tis not so near as you guess: Lewis the Great will trick the Confederates at the long run, and break the Chain of their Alliance at the Treaty which he could not in the Field. One Link, you know, is dropped off, ( viz. Savoy) which, tho' no strong One, was a heavy hank upon France; The Spaniards by the Neutrality in Catalonia,( which is near concluding) follow next; and the Dutch have already( in a manner) agreed to a separate Peace and open Commerce.  Will. 
Fie upon you Jack, that you should be so weak in the Noddle yourself to believe this, and so strangely stupid to fancy you can thus impose upon Mankind; I know you speak not your own, but the sense of your Party( who God knows have as little of that as honesty) I am ashamed of ye.  Jack. 
Nay, I must tell you further, Sir, the German-Emperor, Teutonique-Princes and States follow next, and then England will be left in the Lurch.  Will. 
Why, and canst thou be so damned dull to imbibe this destructive Doctrine so glibly and greedily? and to pretend to teach others? none but Men of thy own Faith and Folly will listen to thee! Was ever such insipid stuff as this shuffled about! yet these are the Jacks Sentiments, and the Common Chat of their private and public conversation!  Jack. 
You say true, it is so; for in reality we believe what we report.  Will. 
Nay, and I doubt not wish it so too.  Jack. 
That may be, you know we are Enemies, irreconcilable to the present Powers.  Will. 
More Fools you for your pains, for those powers, as poor and pitiful as they may be in your Esteem, will be too hard for you all, both within and without; but good Boy tell me whence proceeds this giddy Infatuation? will no Time nor Experience make you wiser? was it not enough for ye to be Obstinate Blockheads at the beginning of our glorious and happy Establishment, but must ye needs be so for ever?  Jack. 
Gad we think you so, and worse too! but mum. Well! what would you say if the English Plenipotentiaries( as they are commonly called) should not be owned by the French?  Will. 
Faith Jack that would be something strange! can you be such an Ass to fancy that our Good and Gracious King William would nominate, in jest, those renowned Mercurialists, and thereby expose his own and the Nations Honour? no, no, be assured( old Friend) that point has been agreed, and without doubt some tolerable good understanding established between the Courts of Kensington and Versailles; thus much I am certain, that's the only way for Monsieur to obtain a tolerable Peace, and that's all he must expect; and therefore 'tis his Interest to Court the English and Dutch, who alone can make things easy to him. But to look back a little, what Maggot has crept into your Crown to fancy the Spaniards, Germans, and Dutch, but the last especially, would comply with France and exclude us?  Jack. 
O! I have some Reasons for it, and very powerful ones too.  Will. 
I suppose so; then let us have' em.  Jack. 
You know( and so does every body) their Commonwealth subsists upon Commerce, and to make way for the re-establishment of that( their life! their soul! their all!) they'll truckle or do any thing, especially being sensible of their own Poverty, and how impossible 'tis for England to assist them, or the other Allies, that can hardly support her self in this her great Exigency.  Will. 
Oh! my choice Lad, the Dutch are not such Dolts as you make 'em, they warmly debate, but calmly conclude all their Councils to preserve and advance their true Interest; which I am sure is not to drop us if they could; for if our whole United Power has been but just able to reduce France to Reason, what would become of the Netherland, if old England were made a Sacrifice to the Modern Gauls? must not all Europe soon submit and give up the Cause without any blows? Our Naval Power and Land Force joined to that of France would make the whole World tremble; therefore prithee away with those Fopperies, as wild and extravagant as the Fumes of Melancholique-Men, and broach not idle Tales, fitter for the gossipings of weak women than wise Politicians, as you and your gang would be thought to be.  Jack. 
Nay, not so politic neither, we are men of more modesty than to pretend to much of that at this time of day; I must own( under the Rose tho') that we ha' been plaguly out in our Calculations: faith, to be candid with ye, we are and have been but very indifferent State-Ass-trologers, we like the Star-Gazers, Wizards and Witches, what ever good fortune we predict to others, never have any ourselves, but like them are poor and pitiless.  Will. 
'tis your own Faults in a great measure, for as they would fain penetrate the Misteria Coeli, so would you the Arcana Imperii: they are restless and uneasy to know what's doing above, and you stark mad and raving that you are not admitted to manage matters below: truly we should be well ho'pe up to have you in Government, that Phaeton like would if you could set the whole world on fire, ever murmuring and repining at the present, and praising and admiring the past times, which tho' not much better than these in any particular, and in some far worse, yet they were indeed the happier because you were not then plaguing the public, as you do now upon all occasions, clogging and impeding our Affairs, aiding and assisting our Enemies as much as you can with intelligence, &c. But those days are almost done.  Jack. 
How so?  Will. 
Why, before the last day of June next there will most certainly be a Glorious and General Peace concluded betwixt all Parties engaged in this nook of the Warring World, and then not a Jack to be seen in these three Sister Islands, their number dwindles already, as well as Interest declines, and this some of the sharpest among 'em see plainly, and confess frankly.  Jack. 
sayst 'a so, but prithee explain thyself a little, for thou art a man of a capacious Soul and clear Head, come impart.  Will. 
Ay most willingly, France has for these three years past been earnestly endeavouring by all ways and means imaginable to get only a bare Negotiation set on foot, in order to a General-Treaty, she has cring'd to and courted the Dutch along while only to admit their Agents into their Country; the Methods made use of were so suppling and so very humble, that 'twould ha' been pity almost to ha' denied their desire; this is Fact.  Jack. 
And how do you know all this?  Will. 
O I ha' good Intelligence from most parts oth' Globe, how matters are managed, but especially from the Hague where these Affairs were transacted.  Jack. 
prithee go on.  Will. 
to oblige you I will, as also to open the eyes, nay and understandings too of your mistaken managers; I shall undergo some pains in this business, and to that end I shall be forced to retrospect a little, and give a clean and neat deduction of what's past, together with the present State of France and the Allies; which will be the sur'st way to convict and convince your stubborn party.  Jack. 
Do, set every thing in a clear light, be faithful and just; keep as close to Truth as you can, but have a care of her heels, lest if you come too near, she beat out your Brains or your Teeth.  Will. 
On my Soul and Conscience I will be sincere: Immediately after the Battle at Landen, France began to take in her Sails, not only upon that dear-bought-Victory in which she lost the flower of her Troops and Officers, but upon the unanimous Resolutions of the whole body of the Allies to raise more Forces, and to bring better and stronger Armies into the Field the following and succeeding Campaigns, which was done, they finding by Staunch and unerring-experience that numbers only could do the business.  Jack. 
They were much in the right, one would ha' thought they might have seen that before by the constant practise of France.  Will. 
True, but however 'twas not then too late. France from that instant began to recoil, she fled behind lines, and trusted trenches rather than open breasts. The Confederates gained ground the very next Summer, stopped the progress of their Arms, retook hue, and the next year Namur( in view of the whole gallic Power) in the Netherlands, and Cazal in Italy, the two finest flowers in her Victorious Garland.  Jack. 
This must be owned tho' again the grain.  Will. 
That struck Monsleur to the very heart, and made him lay his hand to it, and seriously consider that nothing but a Peace could preserve him and his mangled myrmidons from speedy and certain ruin. And thereupon new and more probable Proposals of Peace were presented, but the Allies ears being wholly deaf to all Overtures of that kind, that worse than Pagan-Court, hastily resolved and hotly pursued one project more,( not new but founded upon an old bottom) viz. by base and bloody assassins to murder the Glorious-Head of the League, and so make way for the cursed return of Popery, Foppery, Bigotry and Slavery into the Bowels of britain; but Heaven! kind and indulgent Heaven! that always presides over Princes Just and Good,( in the true Interests of their Subjects) warded off the Blow, and exposed those monstrous and cruel Conspiracies to the scorn and contempt of all the World. France thus bauk'd and happily( for us I am sure) disappointed, began to revolve upon her former Proposals of Peace, and finding an universal detestation and abhorrence of those vile and bloody practices, she thought no way so proper to soothe all up again, but by humbling her haughty Stomach, and offering more mildred and reasonable Terms for an accommodation, which indeed was a true step.  Jack. 
Faith so'twas, whatever our hot heads and Don Furioso's think and say to the contrary.  Will. 
I see Jack thou art a Fellow of some Sense as well as good Temper; I am pleased at my pains, and shall think it well worth my while, seeing that I am like to make thee a Convert, which will be to thy honour and advantage, seeing as the late Duke of Buckingham said, at a debate in the House of Lords, If a man was a Fool yesterday, there's no reason he should be so for ever.  Jack. 
Before you ha' done with me, 'tis more than probable you may bring me over, and make me a hearty Williamite, I am inclined to be swayed and influenced by a man of your high-Character, and great Consideration, as well, as mighty Interest in that Party.  Will. 
I shall be glad if my Arguments will convince you, and my notion of the State of Affairs make you wiser or better before we part.  Jack. 
Pray proceed, I listen very attentively.  Will. 
If you did but know what Instruments and Artifices the Court of France made use of to incline the Confederates to harken to a Negotiation, you would not be a little surprised, especially when you reflect on the haughty and towering Spirit of that Prince, you cannot but wonder at this unexpected Prostration.  Jack. 
Indeed so I do; for when I consider how numerous his Armies are, not broken or foiled, but in good heart; Navy pretty well recovered again, Dominions entire and obedient; Provinces unpenetrated by their Enemies Arms, mighty Barriers on his Frontiers every where, Finances full, public Credit indifferent good, yet I must indeed confess myself astonished at the noise I hear on both sides my head of a Peace in view, nay and that France sneeks and begs it too; which, faith I can hardly admit into my Pere Cranium.  Will. 
I shall only say this to thee Friend Jack, Difficile credimus quod nolumus.  Jack. 
You have reason Sir, but where is the mystery? where is the secret of all this? for to be serious, the Allies have had no advantage over France by any entire Victories or Routs, the Reduction of 2 important places, and a defeat of part of their Fleet, is all that can be allowed; surely this has not reduced her to these terrible and truckling terms you speak of.  Will. 
No, but the long continuance of the War, and the entire loss of their Commerce has made this deep wound, and quiter exhausted her.  Jack. 
Well, but the contributions formerly on her Enemies Countries half supported her Armies, and the Prizes taken at Sea in a manner maintained her Navy, at least those small Squadrons she has since the fatal blow at la Hogue fitted out to interrupt the Dutch and Us in our Trade, and to destroy our Colonies in America and Africa.  Will. 
That has helped them indeed, but yet it has born no proportion to the vastness of their expense; it has mightily wait her Enemies, but not enriched her so much as you Fancy. Alas! France had not at the beginning of this present War recovered her self out the Debts the last left her involved in; the Sword was drawn too quick, too soon after'twas sheathed, she had not time to takebreath, for if you remember France was always rattling and flutring about with her Armies, marching and counter-marching, attacking and retreating, making War hastily, and suddenly concluding Peace; this last has been a long knocking War, we are now entering the ninth year and the tenth Campaign,( for Phillipsburgh was besieged in 1688.)  Jack. 
This is something to the purpose, but however let's hear the rest.  Will. 
Ay, you shall. The extraordinary Taxes she has been forced to lay on her new Conquests( tho large) as well as native Subjects, wonderfully lessend in number by the late persecution and present War has depressed her beyond recovery, witness the Armies of Edicts that daily almost fly about, and which fall short in all their calculations. In a word, she is reduced to her last shifts, her extreme and universal Poverty pinches her, and obliges her to truckle, as she must for Peace, which is the thing of the World she most desires and wants.  Jack. 
But am I bound to believe all this?  Will. 
No, but I should think the Great and Condescending Steps France has made to obtain a Peace, are Arguments sufficient to convince you and your whole Party( if any thing can) that she is in earnest.  Jack. 
What steps do you mean?  Will. 
First in the large and comprehensive Preliminaries( which contain the body of the Peace) already agreed to; now by the way, Mr. Jack, I must tell you, this is a new and brisk way of Treating with France, She can't recede from those Points, and the Concessions are so great, if you underst and 'em, especially in the Article that declares all the Reunions shall be disannulled.  Jack. 
prithee Will, what do they mean by that? I must confess I am not States-man enough to know.  Will. 
Then I'll explain it: France has for these thirty Years past( or thereabouts) been( till lately) gaining on all hands from her Neighbours, sometimes by force of Arms, in an open and declared War, at others by base Treachery, in a profound Peace, many of the Places thus taken and stolen, She Re-united, and United to the Crown, and had them solemnly confirmed and Ratified by the Parliament of Paris and others.  Jack. 
And must She give these back?  Will. 
Ay, She has already consented to that and more.  Jack. 
Why then this Plaguy Peace will strip Her very bare, and take away Her gaudy Foreign Plumes, which made Her look so Fine and Gay.  Will. 
Yes, every Prince will have his own again, with advantage too, because they are in a better state than when taken from them, being strongly and regularly fortified, and at the expense of their Enemies.  Jack. 
Why Sir, this will be a mighty change!  Will. 
Ay, for France formerly took all advantages without sparing Her Forces; whenever She had nothing to stand in awe of, She turned all opposition topsy turvy, plundr'd, burnt and filled all places with Fear and Terror of Her Cruelties, when they refused a blind submission to her Will and Pleasure, and were not in a Capacity to make resistance. Treaties, Alliances, Promises, Catholick-Princes, Religion, Sovereign-Pontiff, Truces, pieces, Vows, Oaths, were not accounted Sacred by France, when She was never so little dissatisfied, and had the Power in Her Hands; 'twas in vain to make Her most reasonable Propositions; She would quit nothing of her pretensions; She would have all, and if She could not obtain it, She observed no Measures.  Jack. 
I must confess this is true, but it seems Tempora Mutantur!  Will. 
Yes, I am sure they are with her.  Jack. 
Well, but how came all this about?  Will. 
Be patient and I'll tell ye; France, as politic as She was, and is still thought by your Party, was extremely out in Her Conduct at the opening of the War.  Jack. 
Pray in what.  Will. 
She made mighty Levies, equipped formidable Fleets, and thought, by being early at Sea, and first in the Field, and some successses( which indeed She wanted not) to break the Guardian Knot of the Alliance formed against Her, She tore their Frontier Towns away, beat their Armies often, baffled their Navy once, and doubted not but by her prodigious Power to cut( Alexander like) the Confederacy in pieces, but Misfortunes and Losses, which always separate, nay, bare down final bands of Men in private Contracts, undertakings or adventures, cemented yet this ligament the more, and made the Union the stronger; nothing could discourage the Allies, who resolved to continue the War to the last drop of Blood and Gold. They grew and flourished during their seeming Adversiy; France droopt and dwindled in her highest posperity, for She had strained Her Sinews, and acted beyond her natural Force, wholly offensively; but had She at first been only upon the defensive, and made lines to have preserved what she had got in the former Wars; She had, for ought I know, by this good Husbandry of Her Treasure and Troops, in time, either dissolved the League, or ruined the whole Body in Arms against Her.  Jack. 
Faith you say a great deal, and ad rem.  Will. 
Nay, She made a damned Blunder in the business of Ireland, which was purely a divertive. War, and such a Thorn in the side of England, that had France prosecuted that business prudently, and supplied the Rebels with Men and Money, they had protracted that Matter, and distressed the Allies the more in other places.  Jack. 
Where was the defect?  Will. 
The French Councils were divided in Sentiments about it, they could then have spared Forces and Coin, but Monsieur Louvois, the chief Director of the War, would have had his Son the Marquis de Barbesieure, at the Head of all in Ireland, which being opposed by Lewis and James, and another sent, Louvois grew discontented, neglecting that Affair, and so that Kingdom was soon after reduced to the Obedience of its True and Rightful Lord King William.  Jack. 
Well! well! I am satisfied; I am indeed convinced France has been out in her politics in that and many other things; but don't you think that was a back-blow, a smart stroke in earnest, She gave the League in concluding the separate Peace with Savoy? and don't you believe that happy conduct of Hers will make her have better Terms at the General Treaty?  Will. 
No, not all, nor has that hastn'd the Negotiation now on Foot one bit, it was rather an Argument of Frances pinching Necessities for a General Peace, which She had then in view; how faithful and punctual was that Court( mark it well, for it was the first time) in performing every jot and tittle of those Articles! what hast they made to pay down the Stipulated Sums? what speed was taken in nominating the Officers and establishblishing the Family of the Princes of Piedmont( now duchess of Burgundy) and what Pomp and Magnificence in the Reception of Her, and how was She caressed and complimented at lions and other Great Towns,  told She was the more welcome because she brought a Peace with Her, which the principal Magistrates hoped would be the foundation of a general One, and so does the Court too! else they would never have condescended to so mean a match.  Jack. 
'twas but a bad bargain, I vow to God.  Will. 
What! an Eagle stoop to a Sparrow! no, that's not his Quarry! Could the hopes of the House of Bourbon be bestowed no better? No fairer fortune to be found for him? would the Duke of Burgundy have been thus thrown away, think you, but that France had some further aim and prospect than that poor contemptible conjunction?  Jack. 
Was it voluntary or forced?  Will. 
That will be worthy our Enquiry; not very frank was France to come to it; the high stomach of that Court could not easily digest such crude bits, 'twas so great a diminution of the Glory of that High Fluttring Family, that nothing can be like it, there's no parallel.  Jack. 
What then could produce it?  Will. 
Necessity! Dire necessity! of their Affairs; A Peace must be had cost what it will.  Jack. 
But don't you allow that our ill Posture here at home will be very favourable to France in this juncture?  Will. 
What do you mean?  Jack. 
The scarcity of Species, the stagnation of Commerce, the Universal Cry and complaint of Want, the Loss of public as well as private Credit, the difficulty of providing for the present, and the impossibility of carrying on the War for the next Year, if it should last so long; to say nothing of Insurrections, Tumults, &c.  Will. 
I must confess 'tis a happy hit for France, and even beyond her hopes or thoughts, but tho' what you have said be in part true, yet to our great comfort and her unspeakable grief her Condition is much worse than ours, and her necessity for a Peace much more pressing.  Jack. 
That will be well for us if it be true.  Will. 
Thanks to our good Government and prudent Parliament, we have almost recovered ourselves, that is, we have overcome the main difficulties we laboured under, Coin is become more common, Credit both Wooden and Paper rises, Tallies and Bank Bills advance in reputation, the public is cheerfully trusted, Exchequer Bills in full force and at a Par with Money, for we want not wealthy Patriots to subscribe four hundred thousand pounds to circulate those and support their famed; you see the People are patient, and submit to a misfortune which was inevitable, having behaved themselves with a great deal of Duty of deference, and with very little murmuring or repining, considering circumstances.  Jack. 
Nay, indeed 'tis more than I expected, our whole Party was big with hopes, and so were the two Courts of St. germans and Versailes of an universal revolt and defection; nay, we were so wise to flatter ourselves 'twould embroil the Kingdom, and produce very fatal consequences in general.  Will. 
But you were mightily mistaken.  Jack. 
So we were, and you may swear it has not a little troubled us.  Will. 
Alas! England was vastly rich before the War, and tho' we are something exhausted, by sending so much money abroad( which was not to be avoided) to pay our Troops in Flanders, and by our careless conduct at Sea, in suffering the French Privateers, and Squadrons of Men of War to take our Shipping; yet thank God the worst is past, we shall mend and look better, that is, grow richer every day we live.  Jack. 
That's but fancy. For nothing but Peace can restore you, by that you'll retrieve your Commerce, that extended and well managed, will produce a balance on your Side, that will bring in Bullion, that make Species; then we shall all have Money enough, and the Nation thrive and flourish amain.  Will. 
Why, this is good News for the Jacks and Gills too.  Jack. 
Ay, and Wills also! for they are pretty poor at this juncture, but few of either party have any reason to brag of their abundance.  Will. 
Besides there's above Eight Millions of Pieces of Eight coming from Cales, that arrived on the last Spanish Flota, for the English Merchants Account, that will help us mightily, which, with the Plate that in great Quantity lies ready to be brought in as soon as ever the Mints are at leisure to Coin it, will fill us with Specie, and more than make good the loss we sustained by the Re-coining our Money.  Jack. 
Say ye so Man!  Will. 
Yes, in short, we shall be able to hold out the War longer than the French, and that will oblige them to think the more earnestly of complying with the Allies.  Jack. 
But can you imagine after all, that His Most Christian Majesty will ever consent to abandon King James? so absolutely and entirely as some pretend, when he Swore solemnly( as we have been  told) that he would never put up his Sword in his Scabbard till he had restored him to his three Kingdoms?  Will. 
Alas! good Lad, that is the least of the Obstacles to a Peace; don't you remember how the Court of France packed poor Charles, nay, and Jemmy too,( the same Gentleman you talk of Re-inthroning, who, one would have thought, should not have cared to have gone thither again) away, when they fled thither for Sanctuary, in the heat of the former times, and this only at the instigation and upon the threats of cronwell, when France was in a much better condition than She now is.  Jack. 
I have heard something of that, there may be truth in't; I think 'twas during the Ministry of Mazarin( that renowned Cardinal) then I find France will stick at nothing when Her Interest bids Her do it.  Will. 
Did not you know that before?  Jack. 
Yes, but was loth to believe or think any thing that's ill of a Friend.  Will. 
Whip, poor James upon the conclusion of a Peace( now not far off) must be gone to Rome or Modena; the last can't give him Royal Reception and Maintenance, tho' the first can; and that old Cur the Pope is a doting Fool, as well as ingrateful Rascal( but all ecclesiastics are so when their business is done) that he does not by a Solemn Nunciature invite him to reside at New Babylon; He, and the Conclave of Cardinals, out of his and their vast Revenues, allow him a large Stipend of a Million( at least) of Crowns per Annum, to support his Dignity, furnishing him a Palace at their expense also; I am sure he deserves this and more from their Hands; he that has done and suffered so much for Mother Church; lose three Crowns for her sake and service( whereas the De'le take me Sir, as an honest Scot said, if I'd lose Half a Crown for all the Churches in the World.)  Jack. 
You say this is no impediment to a general Treaty:  Will. 
No, not a bit. The Jack Interest is no rub; Did you ever know France ever value any Interest but Her own?  Jack. 
Then where lie the main difficulties in the matter? we have been for many Months past amused with the hopes of an accommodation, the very Subject of it, is almost threadbare; 'tis really grown dull and flat, nothing but the vast hopes of its being near a conclusion, with the mighty benefits it will produce, could make the daily and almost hourly Chat of it, relish with us, or be at all agreeable to our Ears, because we have talked so long of it, and see so little likelihood of it coming about.  Will. 
People are apt to be earnest and impatient for any great good they desire; but Reason tells us plainly, that a business of that vast import, and wherein so many Great Princes and States are concerned, and which requires such Skill and Address to manage well( it being one of the nicest Points in the World, to satisfy so many different pretensions, besides all great Bodies of course, and Naturally move slowly) will take up time to dispatch.  Jack. 
Ay, so it seems, and a great deal too.  Will. 
The Emperor continues a little stiff, and would have the Preliminaries enlarged, which the French, if they could, would avoid, but rather than continue the War, they will comply with, and entirely Resign lorraine to its Duke, without any reservation or restriction whatever. When the Armies take the Field( which will be about the latter end of May 1697. they will quicken the Negotiations.  Jack. 
That's a good while.  Will. 
Nay, the Grand Assembly of Plenipo's will meet sooner than that, for you may observe, if you please that the way has been smoothed extremely by the French' Ambassadors, having agreed that all Ceremonies shall be laid aside quiter,( which you know used to confounded a deal of time to no purpose) the Titles of Princes also to be of no consequence, which methinks, is plain English, that our Ministers are to be admitted as amply as can be to the General Treaty; so that you may perceive all parties, but especially the Gauls, are very willing to come to; Alas! they won't contest about Trifles now, nor would France make the least scruple of owning King William openly, even before the Great Congress; but She is not yet sure of a Peace, and if the Allies should fly off, then would She absolutely lose all Her Interest here amongst you and the Naughty Men of your Party, which is yet of some service to her, tho' it has been of much more formerly.  Jack. 
Well, upon the whole, nothing you have said yet, has been able to persuade me we shall have an Agreement so suddenly as you pretend.  Will. 
Then I'll add, that beside the Propensity all Parties have for a Peace( which I should think would be Argument sufficient alone) not to say necessity, tho' 'tis pretty near that, I tell you 'tis almost impossible to miss of a Peace, because the several Interests on both sides engaged in the War have unanimously agreed upon a Mediator, and this I hope you'll allow to be in earnest and solemnly done; now the differences that shall arise at the General Assembly, will not lye in the Power of either Party to dispute long about, but they must of course be referred to the Arbiter, who alone has power to determine them,( to which end he was choose and excepted) now the King of sweden is no such contemptible Prince to be made a Tool of, or be affronted by the stubborness or unreasonableness of either side, for he has a very considerable Army of his own, made up of Veteran Troops in long and constant pay; if he should declare on either part 'twould fall heavy upon the t'other, and bring them to Reason.  Jack. 
But there's no likelihood of that.  Will. 
No, No, I say this only to let you see the mighty probabilities of a sudden Peace; alas! neither the high demands of the Allies, nor the flat refusals of France will be able long to hinder, or in the least break off the present Negotiations, because the Mediator has it solely in his Power to decide the matter; nor is the question so much now whether there will be a speedy Peace or not? as how to fix it upon such a Basis, that it shall not for many years to come be in the Power of Monsieur to plague his honest and quiet Neighbours again by beginning a new War, and bringing it into their Territories.  Jack. 
How can that be done?  Will. 
France by the Rendition of those strong Frontier Towns she is now Mistress of, will so weaken herself and strengthen her Enemies, that she'll ha' but little heart to think yet a great while of new Quarrels, besides if the Peace were this minute concluded, the Allies would not disband all their Armies, nor unrig their Navies, but keep up such a Force both by Sea and Land, that would be continual awe upon Lewis; besides 'tis time for him to think of quitting this World and preparing for another; a life( towards his latter end) of quiet and repose would be better for him, and more agreeable to his advanced Age, and suitable to his many infirmities, than the noise and hurry War necessary occasions; He is almost worn out with Fatigues of State, late Councils, and the indifatigable applications he has gone through, not to mention Amours and the soft pleasures of Courts.  Jack. 
As you have tack't them together, that's indeed lighting the Candle at both ends, that will hasten a man home to his Forefather.  Will. 
The Circles and Princes of the Empire have already resolved to keep on foot even in times of Peace a good Body of Troops, and you may be sure all the rest of the Members of this renowned and celebrated Union will do the like; so that France will be kerbed on all hands; besides it will be many years before she can recover her self out of that deep desolation and misery she now is in, the late heavy hand of persecution and the present long raging War, have eased her of her superfluous Subjects and redundant Wealth which time and Peace can only repair.  Jack. 
prithee Will. no more of this, for I tell you plainly, your Sentiments and our differ extremely upon the present State and Condition of that Kingdom; and so let's wave all further chat of that matter, and go to the Subject now in hand, Pax, Pax, is the word now most in Vogue; because earnestly desired by the greatest part of the weakened warriors, tho' I can hardly ever be brought to believe that France is so very zealous to obtain it as you would fain persuade me.  Will. 
Well Jack, to take yet a little more pains with thee, is it not a good Argument that she would fain have Peace when all the World knows that she first and alone sued and solicited hearty to come into her Enemies country to treat? Canst thou Fancy that France would sand her ambassadors to Holland to negotiate, if the posture of her Affairs were so good as you pretend? No, rather the Confederates must cringe, and creep, and sand Ministers to Versailes; take Arms, be glad of what kind of Agreement that mighty Monarch( as you think him) would vouchsafe to give them. Is not this rational? in short, if this would not do with you nothing can, I will give over all hopes of convincing thy incurable obstinacy; it's time for us to part.  Jack. 
No, dear Will, don't do that, we have not seen one another a great while, besides the Wine is excellent, we have some hours yet on our hands, and you are sensible I love your conversation beyond all the mens in the World; therefore pray proceed and inform me, that I may our whole Tribe, for faith and troth, with your consent I will have it printed; I can remember every word of it.  Will. 
No Jack, I dare hardly confided in thee, because for the sake of that cursed Cause thou art embarked in, thou't pervert and change my words.  Jack. 
By the Mass I won't, tho' I am a man of more honor than to do so; however, to end this dispute, pray do you sand it to the Press to a man of your own Kidney, on whom you may rely, and let the public be obliged with it; I must confess there's more weight and solidity in it, than I am willing to own, because you argue so strongly against an Interest I love most passionately; however, come to the Text.  Will. 
By that, I suppose some more Reasons you would have of an Approaching Peace.  Jack. 
Yes, you guest well.  Will. 
You shall, I will give ye a short Account of what I myself observed at Paris( for you must know, I have lately made the tower of France, and am newly return'd) upon the Arrival of the mass-priests, from the States General of the United Netherlands; and the Elector of Bavaria, to give leave to the French Plenipo's to pass through, and reside in their Territories; no sooner was this most welcome News come to that Metropolis, but there appeared an Universal and Visible Joy amongst all the People, smiles on their Lips, and Mirth in their Mouths.  Jack. 
That is usual in all Nations upon such occasions.  Will. 
But this was so extravagant and extraordinary, that I could not but admire at it, especially when I reflected on the ridiculous Lies your Party spread abroad in England, of the mighty wealth and pvissance of France, how vastly they have gained by the War, how rich and easy they are, how nimbly and plentifully Money rumbles about there, how gay and gallant they appear every where, how little they repined at their numberless Taxes,( tho' three of the four Elements pay to the King) and how indifferent Peace is or would be to them, and a great deal of such poor preamble as this.  Jack. 
I can't deny but this is the common Chat of our Clamorous Clans, nay, and I assure you 'tis a substantial part of our Creed; we, like the thick-skul'd Cavaliers of old, stiffly and stubbornly adhere to a Cause that has( as theirs did them) brought us to beggary, we live( chameleons like) upon the Air of hopes, thin Diet God wot, worse than Water-grewel; we promise ourselves mighty Matters upon a second Restauration, as they, poor Gentlemen, did upon the First, tho' I am almost of the mind we should not fare much better than they did, if such a Scene should be opened.  Will. 
Ay, you may be sure on't; you know the Stuarts were ever a grateful Family; you may rely upon their promises that never kept any.  Jack. 
We have all had prodigious Assurances from King James, of his never failing Favour to us upon his Re-inthronement, and we can hardly forbear believing him.  Will. 
You are infatuated; have ye forgot his Brother Charles's Conduct; but prithee do you and your Trusty Tribe set your hearts at rest, you'll never see any day like that, no return for him but in a Coffin; the rattle your Fools make of his coming ere long to Calis or Bolonge, is only to take his Ultimum vale of old England, before he go his Pilgrimage to the Lady of Lareto.  Jack. 
Why do you think his Re-establishment Impossible?  Will. 
Yes, or next to't.  Jack. 
Ay, Gad, as strange and surprising things have been brought about in the twinkling of an Eye, by the power of Providence.  Will. 
Alas! Poor Jemmy has no such good Stars to help him to his three Crowns again, one Crown in the other World is worth three and twenty in this, here's nothing in this lower Orb but trouble and vexation, and who would value empty Titles and noisey Greatness mixed with so much alloy and mortification?  Jack. 
What! you prate like a Preacher, and banter the Old Gentlemen. You're mightily mistaken, for he'll have a tug for it yet; the catholic Princes to whom he Adrest his first Manifesto, will surely have compassion of his Case, and give him some Relief, in order to restore him to his Dominions.  Will. 
Yes, without doubt, and so will the Protestant Powers too! thou dolthead, that art such a Fool to fancy that either the Popish or reformed Kings or States, will take any notice of that hodge-podge of Inconsistences; alas! for the first of those Pamphlets, it did indeed make some little noise in the World,( tho' not much) but for the second it died as soon as it was born, and is now butted in oblivion. canst thou be such a block ( Jack) to think that writing will do the business, when sighting could not; a Paper War usually makes way for, and precedes the Bloody One, but never succeeds it; it is in vain for the scribblers to pretend to effect with their Pens, more than the Sons of Mars can do with their Swords.  Jack. 
You say well. But won't our old Master have a Plenipo. at Reswicke, to take care of his Affairs, to press his pretensions, or at least to enter his protestations?  Will. 
No, I believe not, that will hardly be permitted, for he has no business there, and therefore to what purpose should he sand a Minister thither?  Jack. 
Oh! by all means, to secure his interest.  Will. 
God knows that's very small at this time, and hardly worth taking any care about, but thou shallow-crown, does not thou know that that matter has been already adjusted with France, that cunning Court was made sensible, no Overtures of Peace could be listened to, except the Late British Bravo, and his Brat, with all their present as well as future pretensions, were entirely and absolutely abandoned, and this Monsieur himself acquainted that unhappy Gentleman with, and at the same time let him know, that the necessity of his own affairs, and the preservation of his people from utter ruin and destruction, were the true Motives that induced him to press so earnestly for a speedy Accommodation, and that he had honestly and honourably used his utmost Effects to captivate him, but that 'twas all in vain; the Allies were invincible, and almost inexorable, that their Armies were( and had been for some past Campaigns) superior to his in number, in much better plight, their Heets I orded it on the Main and without control or opposition, burnt his Maritime Towns; that 'twas impossible for him to remount his Cavalry or recruit his Infantry, that not only Horses but Money also was wanting; The Troops in great Arrears, his Magazines ill provided; and in a word, that notwithstanding his great retrenchments and mighty good management, thirst and care, it was absolutely impossible to carry on the War any longer.  Jack. 
These were melancholy mementoes to an exiled King, these were sour sops to a miserable man, tumbled from the top of Honour to the bottom of despair, and all for the sake of a musty Religion, growing every day more and more out of Fashion: then I find by your account of things, we have but small hopes of ever seeing that Spark in this part of the World again, at least alive!  Will. 
No indeed, for the Princes of this Age are too wise and wary to fight so furiously and madly( as formerly they were wont) for Dame Church, they take more care of their temporal Estates than in times past, nor are they so apt to be intoxicated by the Priesthood, who pretend to be the ambassadors from Heaven and Sons of Peace, yet prove too often the Ministers of Hell, kindling the Fire of War on Earth upon the score of some trifling differences in Ceremonies( not essential in sacred Rites) or because they can't bring the people to be all under one head( infallible forsooth!) which is as easy to be done as to make all the folks of one Phis. Besides, the Layicks have now more Wit, they won't knock one another on the Head to please the Priests.  Jack. 
By my Soul, I think they are in the right on't. But come my choice Cock, let's pass from this Sally, which will be apt to carry us too far, leading us out oth' way, and let us talk of the Dove with the Olive branch in his Mouth, the pleasing Prospect of Peace, the very sound of that Word is grateful to our Ears; I believe the Men of Metal, those Sons of Steel, are amost weary of the War, and would willingly be at quiet themselves, for if it be a Trade( as it is said) it is quickly taken up, and may be as soon laid down again, the perquits and profits are but small and not encouraging, especially at this time.  Will. 
I think so too, well, to the business in hand; besides the Staunch and solid Reasons I have offered you upon this Subject, I shall yet add, that the English and Dutch bearing the greatest burden of the War in maintaining all the Sea, and most of the Land Forces now in Arms, may very well pretend to have the largest share and stroke in making the Peace; Territory they have not lost, and so demand not any, they find France inclined to end the War by giving up to the confederates their Provinces, Cities, Towns, and Forts; putting things in Statu quo: now 'tis not the Interest of Europe to ruin or conquer France( if it could be done) to bring her to good Terms by depluming her is, all that has been aimed at, to this She will yield, though somewhat unwillingly( it must be confessed I must needs say it would have pleased me better, and all those that love the Common Cause, to have had France humbled after another manner, and reduced to a nearer degree of ruin.  Jack. 
How do you mean?  Will. 
To have had her Forces entirely defeated, and her Territories entered by the Armies of the Allies; her Towns plundered, burnt and depopulated, the whole Country about ravaged, nothing but desolation and destruction over the Land.  Jack. 
Why you are cruelly inclined.  Will. 
I am so, I talk like a soldier; besides, it is but as France treated Germany, and would all the rest of her Neighbours if she could; I assure you Jack, it troubles me not a little, when I reflect how well she is like to come off, when after all the mischief she has done in the world, and the miseries she heaped on others, I am clearly for Lex Talionis,& nec Lex justior illa, &c.— 'tis like a man's dying in full strength and vigour, for the Confederates to give over the War, when they had brought things to such a pitch, to exceed France in power; it would have been much more glorious to have forced her by Arms to have sent a cart blanch and submitted to their Terms: she that has been the cause of so much Christian blood-shed, to gratify her Ambition only, that introduced into the World, recommended and practised such Tracherous and villainous politics, employed such Barbarous assassins, encouraged Murders by poniard, and poison, corrupted Courts, debauched Mankind mangled Morals, perverted principles, done allt he ill things that were to be thought of or invented, to accomplish her ends,( yet mist them) I say, she that has acted thus insolently, violently and inhumanly, to escape the vengeance of Heaven, and avoid the Fate of Sodom and Gomorrah is strange, I am sure it is pity she is not sacrificed and served as the old Romans did Carthage, I say Delenda est Gallia.  Jack. 
This is a sudden sally of your inordinate Zeal and intemperare Heat, you fly too indeed; to depress the house of Bourbon too low, would but give way to the Austrian Family to pierk up again; there are but those two topping Cedars capable of contending for the Western Empire, and you see it has been the destiny of neither to carry it; the Princes of Europe are so prudently politic when either of those houses swell to an excess of Power, they bind and confederate together, to oppose their growing greatness; and since the extinction of the four past mighty Monarchies, Spain towards the close of the last Century, and France in her turn near the end of the present bid fairest for the Universality, and indeed both were pretty near the Mark.  Will. 
But Heaven raised against the Spaniards a renowned and victorious Heroine in the last Age, our immortal Queen Elizabeth; and in this present has advanced to the English Throne a Gallant and God-like Prince KING WILLIAM entirely entirely after our own hearts, to stop the progress of the French Arms; so that both the pretenders have been hindered from obtaining the absolute Dominion of the fourth part of the Globe; and it seems plainly to me, as if Providence had reserved that Glory for Old England, to have always the greatest share of, viz. To preserve sweet Liberty, in opposition to sour Slavery, by falling into the conjunction to be the weightiest in the War, and by procuring a Peace, to keep the balance in her hands alone.  Jack. 
That has indeed been the honourable Lot of our Nation, and I am so much an Englishman to value myself upon't,& to wish it may be always in our Power to do so.  Will. 
Well so much for that. I hope friend Jack, from what has been said, you are sufficiently convinced that in all human probability we are not far from a good Peace.  Jack. 
Why, truly I must needs confess you have gone a great way towards inducing me to believe it does draw near. I do own the Deduction you have given me of Affairs, with the pertinent Reflections you have made thereon, have wonderfully gained upon me; you have hit upon happy thoughts, are a good Logician and have from substantial premises drawn apt conclusions. I am indeed induced to think this Bloody, Tedious, and Unnatural War is terminating, which I shall be glad of for the benefit of the Re-publick, nay, and Re-private too. But prithee what shall we get at the winding up of the bottom, in Consideration of the Millions of Money, and thousands of Men that have been spent and lost within these few years?  Will. 
From out of a multitude of Advantages, I shall only enumerate some of the most considerable. In the first place, we have got a very good King for a very bad One; he alone is worth all the charges we have been at to keep him in, and the other out; next we have secured our Religion, Liberties, and Properties, beyond a possibility of being( ever I think) in any danger again from that Puppet Popery, and that Monster Tyranny; then have we preserved our Native Country, and all Europe too, from a foreign Yoke, worse than Egyptian Bondage, which neither we nor our Fore-fathers could endure to hear of, much less to bear; we have taken Behemoth by the Beard, and plucked him down; the French Leviathan could not stand before us; how great a glory is it to our Kingdom, and what a large share each English-man participates, that we have been( by God's Assistance) the principal Instruments to reduce Monsieur to Reason; Let us not grudge the expense, nor murmur at what we have suffered to accomplish these great and gallant Ends; a few years of Peace will produce a mighty plenty amongst us, and heal the wounds the War has given. What an Immortal Honour is it to our Name and Nation that we have dared to undertake, and have almost perfected the Re-coyning of our Money, even during the heat, and in the eight and ninth Year of a raging War; nay, and what is next to miraculous, have surmounted all those Difficulties that encountered us, notwithstanding we have had all along, and have yet in our very Bowels a Body of Scorpions, a Den of Dragons, a Troop of tigers, that have bit and stung us, and which is worse, have impeded all our great and Glorious intentions,( as much as in them lay) that cursed Faction of Jacks,( of which you are a Limb) has done us abundance of Mischief, they have been a heavy and dead weight in our Affairs, clogged our Wheels, betrayed our Councils, and assisted our( and their own) Enemies, to help on our mutual ruin.  Jack. 
Puh! you begin to rave.  Will. 
No, faith Jack, I don't. This is truth, and matter of Fact, I charge on those Varlets; unworthy the sweet Air they breath in, and gentle Government they live under. Ingrateful riches to their Mother Earth that bare them, endeavouring to destroy her that gave them Life. Worthless, unthinking Animals, Moles that Work under ground, and would said undermine our happy Establishment( the Envy and Admiration of the whole world) what will become of these Contemptible Creatures upon a Peace? where will they hid their heads? whither sly for refuge? frontless and impudent as they are, shane and confusion will' oretake 'em, they will be the scorn and pity of all Mankind, they ought to be hunted and baited as wild Beasts, treated as Mad-dogs, for if they had not been Mad, they'd never have opposed the true Interest of their Native Country.  Jack. 
But prithee Will, why so fierce and furious? be mildred and moderate; methinks the approach of these Halcyon Daies you presage, should inspire your breast with kinder and calmer Expressions; Peaceful Planets have hovered over our heads ever since we began our Dialogue; therefore pray banish Mars out of our company, else I shall suppose you are insluenced by that Fiery Spark( the World Phaeton) We met Friends, and so let us part; besides it is late( near twelve) let's make an end of this Bottle and so move off.  Will. 
With all my heart. Come old Lad, here is a Bumper, a Closer to the Peace and Prosperity of old England.  Jack. 
Faith I will pledge it cordially. You Rogue you, what a Succession of happy years are at hand! how prodigiously this Nation will flourish, and how soon grow great again, especially if our Councils bend themselves to improve, encourage and extend our Commerce.  Will. 
Ay, we shall soon be a Great and Glorious People, the Wonder of the World, the Pride of our Friends, the Terror of our Foes, the Darling of Heaven, and the Delight of each Other. I'll treat Jack, come Drawer take the Reckoning, there is a Shilling over for you, and so my dear Friend Jack  
Adieu.  
FINIS.