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 VIII. (Book 8)

Of the French Irruption into Flanders in the Year, 1667.

My Lord,

THe Dutch War, I have in a former Let∣ter mentioned to your Lordship, being ended, by the Treaty at Breda, July 9th. 1667. the French gained all the Ends they proposed by it; and more particularly (as to what I have before hinted) that both our King and People were now glad to be quiet, that some Disreputation was thereby cast in our Nation, but more on the King and Go∣vernment, which began to ingender new Discontents and Factions amongst us, which they took care to foment, that they might make use of them afterward, and that they having lately obliged the Dutch, thought now they might venture to extend their Limits in Flanders, and try what Fortune their Monarch would have against Spain, being his first undertaking, since he took upon him the Management of Affairs after Mazarines Death, wherefore new Pretensions were advanced for the Queen of France; which though most learnedly and more then sufficiently answered by that renown∣ed

Statesman the Baron d' Isola in his Treatise, called, The Buckler of State and Justice, and which I think I have seen in your Lordships Closet, yet it put no stop to the French Carreer, but on they carri∣ed the War, and that with such rapid Success, that they not only ravaged Artois, Hainault and other Parts of the Nether∣lands in a short time, but also took Charleroy, Oudenard, Aeth, Courtray and Lisle, besides what was done by them in the Franch Coun∣ty and Burgundy; but your Lordship is so well versed in things of this kind, that I shall forbear further to trouble you, and shall only tell you, that after the Spaniard had suffered great loss, and that the Dutch being both obliged by Treaty, and alarm∣ed at the too near Encroachment of so Potent a Neighbour, assisted the Spaniard with some Forces, which the Monsieur well observed, but for the Time dis∣sembled it, though he resolved both to remember and make use of it, when op∣portunity was put into his Hands, one way or other to his Advantage; the In∣tervention of the Tripple League did for the present put a Hook in his Nose, and so he claps up a Peace with the Spaniard, in 1668. with a Design to break it as soon as ever his Hands were let loose; and so I shall conclude this Letter with my hum∣ble Thanks to your Lordship for my last

re—: And hope I shall in my next be able to impart somewhat that will be more entertaining, till when I shall and ever will be ready

My Lord,

To serve and Honour you.

Paris, April 11. 1676. N. St.