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 XII. (Book 12)

Of a Book Published in France, proposing Methods for to Ruin the Reformed, which had like to have spoiled the Court-Politicks, in pretending Favour unto them at that time.

My Lord,

I Have in a former Letter, shewed your Lordship the great Care the French Court took, to have it believed, both at Home and Abroad, that their Declaration in Favour of the Reformed was real, and like to be per∣manent, and what Politick Ends they had therein; but a Book Entituled, the Policy of France, came out not long after, to wit, in the Year 1669 that had like to have spoiled all the fine Web they had spun; It was supposed to be written by the Marquess De Chatelett, a Gentleman of Bretaign, and contained one entire Chapter of Methods to Ruin the Reformed, and he was so Adven∣turous as to Dedicate it to the King himself, and made him a Present of one of them; but his Zeal was but coarsly Rewarded, for he was sent to the Bastile for his Pains, and the Book supprest; but because the Methods he proposed therein were such as were very

odd, and may be put in Execution in time, and that I cannot send your Lordship one of the Books, I have taken out the Heads, and are as followeth; he proposed the Total De∣struction of them as a necessary Work, and reserved it for the present King, and whether he did really know, or was ignorant of the Court Designs, he did certainly I believe fit his Politicks to the Intentions of the Court. He represented them full of Re∣sentment for the loss of their Places of Securi∣ty, and of being always animated with Minds to Revolting, Confusion and Anarchy, and constantly ready to make use of any Oppor∣tunity to Re-establish themselves; He made them to be Enemies to the King's Prosperi∣ty, perpetual Obstacles to his Designs, and always to be feared because of their Animo∣sity, and of the number of good Soldiers, over which they could make Chiefs, by giv∣ing them Authority to Command them. He took upon him to shew, that the Protestants of Germany suffered themselves to be ruined without any Opposition, and that they had too much need of the King's Protection, to Embroil themselves with him: He said the same thing of England, Swedeland, Denmark, the United Provinces, and of all the Prote∣stants, whom he imagined to have been so linked to the King by strong Chains of In∣terest, that they would not concern them∣selves to hinder his Exterminating of the

Reformed Religion in his own Kingdom: He put a Malicious Interpretation upon the Reformed's taking up Arms in the last Civil Wars; and he pretended to Divine, that had it not been that the War had been so soon happily terminated, they would have form∣ed Grand Designs, made High Demands, and endeavoured to set up their Party again) He said, the Edict of Nants was revocable, as having been a thing extorted from the then King; and admitting it might have been formerly granted for the Benefit of the State, yet it might now be revoked for the very same reason: He was far from being of their Opinion, who thought that the Re∣formed were useful to the Church of Rome her self, because they obliged the Ecclesi∣asticks to Study, and lead Regular Lives; he said, that was a Trifling Argument, and concluded, that the King had sufficient Grounds to seek out ways to put them out of Condition to Hurt, or do any injury to his State. Having promised this, he was not of the Judgment to be rid of them by way of Banishment, as the Moors had been driven out of Spain; he looked upon that way of Treatment Inhumane, and withal prejudicial to the State, but he proposed Fifteen Expedients to be rid of them by lit∣tle and little. The first of which was, to procure a more familiar Intercourse between the Reformed and Catholicks. Secondly;

That they should be Rewarded with Estates and Honours that would be Converted, and to have a Fund setled for that end, which should ne'er be alienated; that for the ex∣citing of their Ambition, and not suppress that Passion in them which might serve as a Sting to their Conversion; He was of Opi∣nion that they should be permitted to Exer∣cise the smaller Offices, But not to give them great Places, but to the Catholicks only, for to Allure the Reformed to a Change of their Religion, in hopes to attain unto them. Thirdly, To Embroil the Affairs of parti∣cular Persons, so as to make them attend the Council, and principally the Gentlemen con∣cerning all the Dependances of the Exercises of their Families. Fourthly, To oblige them to Rebuild the Chappels they had Demolish∣ed or Prophaned, and that not by proceed∣ing against them in general upon that Head, but by Suing of particular Persons upon that Score, and to Recommend it to the Care of each Bishop in his Diocess. Fifthly, To hin∣der the Deputy-General to interpose there∣in, which he believed might be easily effect∣ed, because the Hugonots could not form a Body in France, and that particular Cases ought not to pass for publick ones, and that the King would Administer Justice without any Intervention; he would not have the Of∣fice of Deputy-General supprest, but reduce it only to a Name without any effect, and that

no regard should be had to the General Remonstrances of the Deputy. Sixthly, To order it so that none of the Reformed should be suffered to dwell in Cities, or the Seigniories, which did appertain to such as were of their Religion; and he would have it so as they could never want specious pre∣tences to colour that Innovation. 7thly, To suppress by Death the Charges of Councel∣lors among the Reformed. Eighthly, To send Catholick Commiss••ries into the Sy∣nods, and to chuse such Persons for that end as understood Controversie, and knew how to foment any Differences which might arise in the Assemblies; to allow no National Synods; and to require Money of the Ministers for the King's Use, under pretence of Loan, Tythes, or some other Imposition. Ninthly, To Commence some Law-Suits against them for their Debts in common, and to cause some of their Churches to be Sold. Tenthly, To Enjoin all the King's Subjects not to de∣part the Kingdom without leave, for the Reformed would be comprehended under such a general Order. Eleventhly, To prevent any Catholicks by means of the Confessors, to put themselves into the Ser∣vice of the Hugonots. Twelfthly, To oblige them to observe the Fasting Days, under pretence of State Policy, for the same rea∣son as they were obliged to keep Holidays.

Thirteenthly, To endeavour to Marry the Reformed into Roman Catholick Fami∣lies, and to take Care that all the Chil∣dren proceeding from such Marriages, were brought up in the Roman Religion. Four∣teenthly, To hinder the Reformed to Sell their Estates in Land, for that such sort of Estates being not to be carried away, it would oblige them to keep within the Kingdom. And Lastly, he advised, That the University of Saumur should be removed to some other more inconvenient place, for which he furnished them with several pre∣tences; and he was of Opinion, that for lessening the number of Ministers, that the Candidates before they were received, should be obliged to go through a Course of Philosophy, or Study Divinity for Two Years; that they should be Examined be∣fore no other Commissioners than such as the King should name, and that none should be suffered to take the Function up∣on them till they were twenty-seven Years of Age. I have troubled your Lordship with a long Letter upon this ungrateful Subject, but I hope you'll pardon me, since I think it's not altogether Forreign to what I have some time since writ to your Lord∣ship, about the French Courts procedure in reference to the Reformed, whom they made it their chief Business to Cajole into a profound Severity, that they might have

leisure to carry on their Villanous De∣signs more securely; and therefore it was that this Book and the Author of it, run the Fate I have already recounted to your Lordship, whom I shall always endeavour to oblige to the utmost of my power; who am,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most Humble Servant.

Paris, Iuly 8. 1676. N. St.