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 XXXVI. (Book 36)

Of the Spaniards attempting to bring King James over to their Interest, but failed.

My Lord,

HOwever the Emissaries of this Court have traduced the Noble Prince of Orange to the King, yet they have in some sort given the Lye to themselves, when notwithstanding all their Rhodomantade, about the Prince's en∣gaging the House of Austria against his Ma∣jesty, they have been so alarmed at the Propo∣sals made to him by the Spaniards, of a strict∣er Allyance, which they knew, if entred into, must invalidate that made with them; the Em∣peror and King of Spain being suspicious of the Allyance with France, had entred into a Con∣federacy with the Princes of Germany at Aus∣burg, as I have hinted in my last; and that they might make their Party as strong as they could, and having at the same time no clear de∣monstration of our King's private Leaguing with France, they resolved to leave nothing un∣essayed, either to know that it was really so, or, if not, to engage the King in their Inter∣est; the Marquess de Gastanaga, Govenour of Flanders, and the Spanish Embassador Don Pedro de Ronquillo were the Persons employed by that illustrious House in that Affair; it's well known here that the latter has omitted no∣thing that could be done to bring the King over,

urging to him the Honour and Interest of such an Allyance; that it was the only Opportunity he had left to recover the good Opinion of his Subjects, who, he must needs know himself, were somewhat alienated in their Affections from him, with a great deal more to the same purpose; and he did at last proceed so far, well knowing his blind—as to engage, if his Majesty would enter into and be cordial in such an Allyance, to order it so that his Parlia∣ment should acquiesce with whatever he was then attempting to get established in respect of Religion, which he could never effect by the Assistance and Agency of France, their harsh Procedure against the Reformed there being too green and fresh in Memory to be so soon for∣gotten by the English, who had besides a natu∣ral Aversion to that Nation and their Politicks; But, my Lord, all that Don Ronquillo has done, was communicated to the French Emissaries, who presently took the Scent, and being not willing to give the King space to demur upon the Mat∣ter, lost no Time in remonstrating to him; That they who had told him, That he ought to take that Opportunity to gain his Subjects, by en∣tring into the League of Ausburg, had not re∣flected upon the inconsequence that followed upon such a Procedure; That that League now agi∣tated was but the consequence of another made at Magdenburg by the Protestants, in favour of the Hugonots; and that it were against all good Reason and Sense, that a Prince who did his utmost to procure a Liberty to Roman Catholicks in England, should concur to re-establish the most rigid of Protestants in France; besides, it would argue no good Policy for him to forsake a solid Friend, such as the French King was, to joyn

himself to such Princes, who would no longer be useful to him, than while they had need of him; since the Protestants had already begun to over∣reach their Piety, so far as to draw them into Leagues formed against a Catholick Prince, in favour of the Calvinists, whom he had driven out of his Dominions; wherefore the King made answer to Don Ronquillo in general Terms; That as he would faithfully preserve the Ally∣ance made between him and his Master, so the same Fidelity obliged him not to violate that Friendship which was between him and the Most Christian King, his Kinsman, who was willing to live at Peace with his Neighbours, and mantain the same as far as he could between them. Thus, my Lord, this hopeful Overture was blasted, the Consequence whereof I refer to him who knows all things, and to whose Protection I commend your Lordship, who am,

My Lord,

Your very obliged Servant to command.

Paris, Mar. 16. 1688 N. S.