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Of the Opposition made by several Noblemen, and particularly by the Lord Marquess of Powis, against discarding the Militia of the Kingdom.
My Lord,
'TIs but a few Days since I sent to your Lord∣ship the particular Resolutions formed in the Cabinet Council, of discarding the Militia, and other Methods that were to be pursued, as either previous to or subsequent of such a De∣sign; and now, I can assure your Lordship,
That same Project was chiefly broken by the Marquess of H. D—of N. and some other Noble Persons and worthy Patriots; but the Marquess of Powis had a greater Hand in it than any of them, as being of greater Credit with the King, who represented how dangerous and in a Word how impracticable such a Pro∣ject was; For, said he, it will be impossible to find such Lord Lieutenants in the Kingdom as will undertake to put the same in Execution, nor no Officers that will obey, If they could find such; that such a Practice would necessitate the King to call in a French Army, which would as much inslave his Majesty to the French as his own People would be thereby inthralled to him, and that he might assure himself the French Faction had no other Intent in advising him to it. So that I find, my Lord, it was resolved to let the Militia alone as it is, and go on to secure their Proceedings, by stuffing the Army with a Mixture of Nations as well as Perswa∣sions, and to chop and change them so often, till at last they shall get Roman Catholicks enough in their Troops so as considerably to out∣number the Protestants there, without calling in any Bodies of French. Which Resolution, as I find it did not fully content this Court, so it hath madded them to use Stratagems to coun∣terpoise it, by putting the King upon unsea∣sonable and impolitick Artifices, and among others, to model and pack Parliaments, where∣of I shall be able in my next, I think, to pro∣cure your Lordship the Projects laid before him, humbly hoping you'll take all in good part from one that has an English Heart, and will love both his Country and your Lordship, whilst I am.
Paris Feb. 17. 1687. N. S.