Page:An Account of Corsica (1769).djvu/149

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OF CORSICA
139

indemnity to all her assassins, and outlaws of every fort, on condition that they should fight for the republick, in Corsica. The robbers and assassins of Genoa, are no inconsiderable proportion of her people. These wretches flocked together, from all quarters, and were formed into twelve companies, who were joined with the Swiss and Grisons.

It may well be believed, that venal stipendiaries, and abandoned criminals, could not oppose an army of brave men, who were fighting in the great cause of liberty, and had every thing that was dear to them, at stake.

But France, who has ever had an eye to this island, now began to be apprehensive that the Corsicans might entirely throw off the yoke of Genoa, in which case, they would either become a free state, which the powers of Europe would, from a mutual jealousy, protest, or perhaps, would put themselves under the sovereignty of some great nation. She resolved then to force them back under the dominion of Genoa; for, by constant negotiations with that republick, France has such an ascendancy, that she may command, when she pleases, whatever belongs to it.

A treaty was therefore made at Versailles, by which, his most Christian Majesty engaged to re-