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 XV. Of the late King James his arrival in France out of Ireland, and of an un∣certain report raised of King William's Death, occasioning much ridiculous Mirth and Bon-fires at Paris, &c. (Book 15)

My Lord,

THat the Arms of this Country have lately prevailed in two great conflicts, the one by Sea, and the other by Land, is sufficiently known here by the publick re∣joycings that have been made for both in all parts of the Kingdom; and I cannot sufficiently express to your Lordship, the Agony I have been under, especially when I heard of the defeat by Sea, but the ar∣rival of the late King some days ago at St. Germans hath cheered up my drooping Spi∣rits wonderfully again; Its universally a∣greed here, that King william has had the better of him, though the defeat is minced very much at Court; who thereupon fore∣seeing that it would be a matter of much enquiry, and seem no less than a paradox among the people, that he should quit Ire∣land so soon, where his presence must have been absolutely necessary for the heartning of his foiled party, they have given a rea∣son

for his retirement so ridiculous, that let them believe it who will, I think I shall not yet, and I am sure your Lordship will not; and that is, that Monsieur Lauzun had in a manner constrained him to with∣draw himself into France, because his extra∣ordinary courage caused him to expose him∣self like a common Soldier, even to so much danger that it had like to have cost him his life: And if the foresaid reason was so very ridiculous, I am sure your Lordship will not think the rejoycings made in this City upon the groundless report of a Lacque of the Kings who got out of Ireland a few days after his Master, to be less so; For upon his Arrival, he was pleased to ac∣quaint the Court, that Duke Schomberg was not only killed, but King William dead al∣so, which good News, as they call it, was of that importance, that it was glibly swal∣lowed down, and the proof thereof never enquired into, and the News happening about Mid-night to come into the City, the Commissaries immediately ran up and down the Streets, knocking up the People and crying out to them, Rise, Rise, make Bonfires; So that in about an hours time, all Paris was in a Blaze, and nothing to be heard there, but Hautboys, Drums and Trumpets. Not content with this, the Rab∣ble made the Effigies of King William and Queen Mary, dragged them through the Dirt and Mire, and at last threw them in∣to the Flames; The Bells were rung in se∣veral

Parishes, the great Guns roared from the Bastile; and in short, for compleating the farce, nothing was omitted, which was usually done upon the most solemn occa∣sions, neither was this rejoycing confined to the narrow bounds of one day, but last∣ed several: Neither could the publick news from Holland and other parts, that expresly imported the contrary, make them abate one jot of their vain credulity, nay, the questioning the truth of it was almost a crime unpardonable. And because nothing should be omitted to enforce the belief of it upon all that seemed in the least dubious, the Opinions of the learned Physicians, who, I must tell your Lordship did not want practice upon this occasion, were hotly urged for it, and who for the most part mercenarily agreed to resolve their patient's Questions in the affirmative, viz. That the wound of a Cannon Bullet was mortal, from whence it was inferred as a natural consequence, that because King William had received such a wound, he must of necessity be dead of it. Nothing could be more vain and frivolous than to tell them of the number of People that have had their Leggs and their Arms shot off by a Cannon Bullet, and yet have lived in a good state of Health for a long time after; for to this it was readily answered, That all that was alledged upon that head, was formerly true enough, but that now Chi∣rurgery was quite another thing; and from

that time forward, whoever was but touch∣ed with a Cannon Bullet, though the skin were but only a little rased, was condem∣ned to die: Strange is the effect of preju∣dice, my Lord, and how easily do Men believe what they would have to be so, but I shall not detain your Lordship any longer with so ridiculous a Narration, though I question not your kind accep∣tance of it from

My Lord,

Your Honours devoted and most faithful Servant.

Paris Aug. 10. 1690. N. S.

POSTSCRIPT.

Just now there is a report spread up and down that the late King is to go forthwith on board the French Fleet, and to endea∣vour to land in England, where they are very confident to find a very considerable party that will declare for his interest, but whether there be any such design in realli∣ty, I cannot yet penetrate into, I am

My Lord,

Yours, &c.