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
Village coming to our Inn to gather a kind of Tax (as it happen'd to be
a Day pitch'd upon for that end) for the Relief of the Poor, the
_Provincial_ Gentleman being deputed, the Steward of our Company, fell
into some Discourse with the Bailiff in the Kitchin. Among other Things,
the Bailiff being mellow, gave him to understand, that though his Mien
and Equipage was not extraordinary, yet he was the Chief Man in the
Town, and immediately represented the King's Majesty, so that if any of
the Company were of Quality, it was his Business to show them that
Respect which was due to them. The _Provincial_ had a good Cue to give
us a Comical Scene, which