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 XXIII. (Book 23)

A farther Argument used at the Court of Spain by the French Agents to per∣swade that Nation to a Neutrality.

My Lord,

TO the Topicks used by Mr. Coleman and other French Emissaries, of which I have given your Lorship an account alrea∣dy to perswade the Spaniards to a Neutra∣lity, they judged fit to superadd, another to be more particularly and closely insist∣ed upon at the Court of Spain it self, al∣ledging that the ruine of the Republick of Holland, was very necessary as upon other accounts, so more especially in that there∣by the King of England, who was so well enclined to the Roman Catholick Religion, and only wanted an opportunity to declare for it, and to have the Glory to Establish it in His Dominions, which had now for above an Age and half groaned under the burden of a pestilent Heresie, would be∣come so much master of his Subjects, that he would be in a condition, without any danger to himself and the Royal Family to introduce the same Roman Catholick Re∣ligion

into his Kingdoms again, which great and glorious, as well as meritorious Work, the Catholick King and those who had the Administration of his Dominions ought to have to heart above all other Interests and Considerations whatsoever, especially since this would enable the Crown of Eng∣land to do Spain many good and friendly offices in the Court of Rome as well as else∣where, and be a means to ballance the French Faction there, when they should take upon them, as they frequently did, to oppose the Interests and Advantages of the House of Austria, as Henry the VIIIth and other Kings of England had formerly done before the Schism broke out, and their Kingdom came to be overspread with He∣risie; But you know, my Lord, the effect this and the former bait and flourishes have had; for Spain after some short disimu∣lation to gain time declared for Holland, on whose fate they well foresaw that of their Netherlands, and the whole Fortune of the House of Austria depended; in which resolutions notwithstanding all the Artifices used to the contrary, they were seconded by the Emperor, who then had his Arms loose, and by some other Princes on that side, whom tho' they fail'd to hin∣der to enter into an Alliance for the de∣fence of Holland, yet they have met since with too much success in rendring their Conjunction as little hurtful to them as

might be, and of which I may in time be able to give your Lordship the particulars, who am

My Lord,

Your Humble Servant.

Paris Aug. 5. 1677. N. S.