The secret history of White-Hall, from the restoration of Charles II down to the abdication of the late K. James writ at the request of a noble lord, and conveyed to him in letters, by ̲̲̲late secretary-interpreter to the Marquess of Louvois, who by that means had the perusal of all the private minutes between England and France for many years : the whole consisting of secret memoirs, which have hitherto lain conceal'd, as not being discoverable by any other hand / publish'd from the original papers, by D. Jones, gent.

LETTER XXVII. (Book 27)

An account of Pope Innocent XI. Second Let∣ter to the French King about persecuting the French Protestants, &c.

My Lord,

SInce my last I have had the opportunity to take the Heads of another Letter written soon after that I have already sent you, by the Pope to the French King, and is to this pur∣pose.

In the first place he takes upon him to re∣fute the Answers and frivolous Complaints of the French King, and then descends to ridi∣cule his vain pretence of Piety in persecuting the Protestants of his Kingdom for denying him Obedience, while he was no less severe to the Bishops of Alet and Pamiers and some other Ecclesiasticks, and even to some poor A∣besses and their Nuns for paying that Obedience which was due to the papal Authority; that this ••id not only look like it, but really was nothing less but building up the Church with the Left Hand and at the same time pul∣ling it down with the Right.

That he was well informed what writings came out in France against his Authority, which he well knew, was that of the holy Apostolick See; what Theses were there main∣tained, and what was done by his over awing

the Assembly of the Clergy of his Kingdom, how and what method, he had taken to vel the French Jesuits against him, and imploy∣ed Maimburg, to represent his supremacy as precarious, Itineran and Ambulatory; and not fixt to the City of Rome herself, but on∣ly to the Capital City of the most power∣full Christian Prince in the World for the time; that is, gallice to Paris in the present Age: that he well understood not only this, but also the designs that were formed by him to erect a new Religion which should Total∣ly swallow up and de••our both Roman Ca∣tholicks and ••rotestants, and how far he pur∣posed to imitate King Henry VIII. of England who writ a Book for the Pope's supremacy, and not long after Burnt aed Beheaded peo∣ple for owning it; when also at the very same Time he persecuted the Protestants for opposing other points.

That it very ill became and it was not the part of a Dutifull and Religious Son ••s he pre∣tended to be and would have the Wo••ld be∣lieve, to abuse his supream Pastor; to dispoil him not only of his Ancient rights, granted him by his Pious Predecessors, but even of those very ones which he then injoyed and were derived by Universal consent and constant tradi∣tion of all good Catholicks, and of the rights of his just Sovereignity in the City of Rome her∣self.

That however let him the French King do what he pleased, yet all that ever he should or could do, should not make him abate the least jot or tittle of his just pretensions about the Regale, nor the franchises of Quarters: but that he was resolved to be Pope in France

and Sovereign in Rome, from which no Force should ever make him depart or flinch back the least degree, whatever Dangers he were ex∣posed unto: This great Constancy, My Lord, in the old Pontiff, hath not a little appalled the exorbitant Pride and Fury of this Court; however they have put the best Fa••: they can upon it, and seem resolved to break through all Opposition, and outbrave whatever shall be in their Way, and divert their Resolution; and I am assured the French Embassador Lavardin at Rome hath already, pursuant to his Orders from hence, highly menaced the old Dad, who in a third Letter to the King has made answer∣able Reply, of which I am pretty confident I shall in my next transmit to your Lordship the Particulars, but in the mean time remain,

My Lord,

Your Faithful Servant.

Paris, june 19. 1687. N. S.