The New Hampshire Gazette

Translation of the French King's impudent letter to the Archbishop of Paris, on occasion of the reduction of St. Philip's Fort.

COUSIN,
After having too long waited in vain for the Satisfaction I had promised myself from the King of England's equity, as a reparation for the outrages committed by his navy on my ships and those of my subjects, to the great scandal of all Europe; I found myself forced to have recourse to arms, in order to avenge the honour of my crown and protect the commerce of my dominions. It was from such just motives that in the month of April last I sent over a body of troops to the island of Minorca, under the command of my cousin the Marshal Duke de Richelieu, with a squadron commanded by the Marquis de la Galissonniere, Lieutenant general of my naval armies, to drive the English from a port, which they had seized upon through that spirit of general dominion which they want to extend over the two worlds. After the painful and dangerous toils of a long siege, during which the English squadron, that came up to relieve Minorca, was repulsed by mine, Marshal Richelieu, in consequence of a disposition as boldly contrived as it was to be rapid in the execution, at last gave French valour its full swing, and while the enemy trusted to the strength of their ramparts, my troops carried by assault in the night between the 27th and 28th of last month, the outworks of the forts of Mahon: nor did the rest: the garrison was forced to capitulate, and to retire to Gibraltar, abandoning above 200 pieces of cannon and 80 mortars. The success of so important an enterprise, wherein my troops were to surmount all the obstacles which art, assisted by nature, can contrive for the defence of a place, must be attributed to nothing but the favour which the Lord of Hosts is pleased to grant to the justice of my cause: and therefore to render him a public homage of my thankfulness, and to beseech him to continue me his divine protection, I write you this letter, to acquaint you it is my intention that you cause Te Deum to be sung in the metropolitan church of my good city of Paris.

Signed LOUIS.