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 XVI. The French Court mightily concerned at the Proceedings of the Duke of Savoy, and his declaring for the Confederates, yet try one stratagem more to bring him to their side. (Book 16)

My Lord,

I Do not find notwithstanding whatever I subjoined in my last to your Lord∣ship of a Descent or some such thing upon England, that the same is any more talked of, but generally concluded to be at this instant impracticable, neither do the affairs of Britain seemingly half so much perplex this Court as those of Savoy at this Jun∣cture; I do not doubt but your Lordship may have heard of many attempts made by them to keep the Duke from falling in with the interests of the Confederates, and especially that of the King of England, but the last and sliest Effort of all is what but few know, and an account thereof, I know, can∣not but be pleasing to your Lordship, now I have nothing more material to inform you of: Monsieur de Croissi, as I suppose your Lordship knows very well, being the grand Minister of State in this Country for Forreign Affai••s, finding by his secret in∣telligence

that the Duke of Savoy had de∣clared for the Confederates, hastened to give the King an account of it; whereup∣on two of the Duke's Ministers were some∣what confined, but after a little consulta∣tion upon the matter, the King thought it advisable to give his subtil Minister orders to confer with the said Embassadors once more, yet so to order it, that it might not look like a formall conference, or a thing concerted before hand; Croissi or∣dered his matters so well, that he met them one day in the street, when he told them, that he wondered he never could see them, that Madam de Croissi had thought they would have come and drink a dish of Coffee with her, to which purpose, he would invite them to his House at such an Hour. The Ministers to be complaisant, and being not accustomed to deny Ladies such Civilities, willingly accepted his offers, and promised to wait upon the Lady at the hour appointed, which they did accord∣ingly, and the Venetian Embassador who had the word given him meet there also, but made as if it had been by meer acci∣dent. After they had discoursed of seve∣ral things too and fro by the bye, the Ve∣netian Minister very dexterously turned the discourse into the Battle of Fleuri, and the Engagement at Sea against the English and Dutch Fleets, and so took occasion to ag∣gravate to the utmost of his Eloquence, the advantages which his most Christian

Majesty had reaped thereby, and to lessen at the same time as much as he could the power of the Confederates. From thence passing forward to the affairs of Italy, he laboured to shew how difficult a task it was for the Spaniard to resist the Arms of the most Christian King, and laid the chief stress of his Arguments upon the pressing desire which both the Pope and the Vene∣tians had to prevent the fire of War, from flaming over the Alps, and so take hold of all Italy. To all which decoying Discourse, Monsieur de Croissi said no more, but only so much as he adjudged necessa∣ry to shew the Venetian Embassador spoke nothing, but what was true, for fear least the Savoyards would have occasion to dis∣cover the concertship between them, and that the Venetian said nothing but what the Mon∣sieur put into his Mouth: However, it seems the Savoyards were not so stupid, but that they apprehended quickly a good part of the Truth; And therefore being un∣willing to engage themselves in long dis∣putes to no purpose, they thought it suffi∣cient to answer once for all, that the Duke their Master had made choice of his side, and that no consideration whatsoever could oblige him to fail in his promises to his imperial Majesty, King of Spain and the rest of the Confederates. And if the Court are so highly perplext for the ill success they have had upon the Duke and his Mi∣nisters, the common Vogue is they are not

a whit less at Monsieur Tourville's Conduct after his Sea Victory, that he has made no more improvement of it, but I can say no∣thing positively upon this head, and there∣fore shall only subscribe my self,

My Lord,

Your Lordships most Humble and Faithful Servant.

Paris Sept. 1. 1690. N. S.