A continuation of the secret history of White-hall from the abdication of the late K. James in 1688 to the year 1696 writ at the request of a noble lord ... : the whole consisting of secret memoirs ... : published from the original papers : together with The tragical history of the Stuarts ... / by D. Jones ...

LETTER X. Of King James's Army in Ireland, and Duke Schomberg's, with Cardinal Bouillon's Motion for a Contribution for the support of the former. (Book 10)

My Lord,

THE raising of the Siege of London-der∣ry, and the landing of the English Ar∣my, without interruption in Ireland, under Duke Schomherg, with other successes and advantages are so far from discouraging this Court in their hopes of a speedy con∣quest of that Kingdom, that they have al∣ready in the Cabinet vaunted it to be as good as their own, and that perhaps they need not stay for another Campaign to re∣establish the late King upon the Throne of England, and put themselves in an entire possession of the other Kingdom, accord∣ing to the full extent and meaning of the Stipulated Articles, which I have former∣ly transmitted to your Lordship. But be∣cause Money here is very hard to come by in such a proportion, as to answer those vast Expences they are at to carry on the War upon the Continent, which must be got at any rate; they have resolved to car∣ry

on the Irish Affairs with two Court-pro∣jects, which are of that Stamp, that for all their boasting makes wise Men have but a poor opinion of the Event. For it cannot be thought that any great matters should be done at Rome for the support of the late King, though by this Court's con∣trivance and instigation, the Cardinal de Bovillon in a Congregation of Cardinals lately held there, propounded they should Tax a voluntary Contribution upon them∣selves for his supply, and that to set a good and laudable example unto others, he of∣fered a considerable Summ: But by all that I could learn hitherto, the motion was not much relished, and 'tis very likely the Congregation smoak the design, that the Cardinal thought that, the best way to find the French King his Master Money, who undoubtedly cannot but need it, and that he that supplies the one King, supplies the o∣ther; And if the first carries so little pro∣bability of success with it, I am sure your Lordship will say the other has much less, and that to make Copper to pass for Sil∣ver Coin, forbodes a general disatisfaction in the Inhabitants of that Country, where that innovation is introduced, and cannot be thought to make the soldiery over mer∣tlesome and daring. Its almost past belief how much this teagish invention, for it will by no means be allowed to be the pro∣duction of the French refined Policy, is ri∣diculed in every Corner; But I shall not

presume to detain your Lordship any longer, and therefore conclude, subscribing my self,

My Lord,

Your Lordships, most Humble and most devoted Serv.

Paris, Decm. 12. 1689. N. S.