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 XXXV. (Book 35)

Of the Marquess de Ruvigni, a French Protestant, his being sent Embassador into England; and what the Politicks of France were therein.

My Lord,

I Do not question but your Lordship does remember the first time of the Mar∣quess de Ruvigny's being sent Envoy from this Court into England, which was in the Year 1669. and which, I think, I have in one of my Letters hinted already; That he was a Person very capable for such an Im∣ployment, none can doubt that knew him; but that ever he was chosen by this Court purely for his Capacity, is not to be admitted of. You know, my Lord, the Triple League stuck then close in the French King's stomach, and that the dan∣ger Religion was in, as well as Property, from the progress of the French Arms before in the Netherlands, contributed very much to the cementing of such an Alliance, which this Court were labouring tooth and nail to break to pieces, and more especially to get the King of England out of it; and to that end, Monsieur Ruvigny's Religion, he being a Protestant, highly recommended him: How well he discharged his Com∣mission

then, I need not recount to your Lordship, the Event has sufficiently disco∣vered it to England, as well as to Holland's sorrow, and to the no small regret of some of those of his own Religion and Fraterni∣ty in France. It was much about Six years after, that the same Marquess was entrusted with another Negotiation at the English Court, to no less pernicious an end than the former, and I fear at long run with worse effects: They had, my Lord, besides the Instruments I have formerly mention∣ed, for some time before this, imploy'd se∣veral of their own Hugonots in England, for the carrying their Intrigues more effectually on among our Protestants, which Hugonots have been the more forward to please and obey the Instructions of their Prince and his Ministers, in that they have believed them very compatible with their own particular Interests; wherefore they have done all they could to contribute to the Elevation of the Presbyterian Government in our Na∣tion, which, because the same with their own, they have naturally had some desire to see established in a Kingdom so able to protect them, and which had hitherto been the great impediment to their extirpation in France. But to return from this Digres∣sion, for which I beg your Lordship's par∣don, to the Marquess de Ruvigny, his In∣structions were to endeavour to possess the Protestants in general in our Nation, which

were now, my Lord, full of fears of some Secret Designs a brewing between the two Kings, in prejudice to their Religion and Civil Rights too, that they needed not to be so much concerned at Appearances; that it was far enough from the thoughts of his Master to make their King great to his Sub∣jects prejudice; and that he was not so zea∣lous for the Roman Religion as they might imagine, whereof he was to urge several instances and to endeavour to throw off all the odium from him upon the Pope and the Court of Rome, and thereby make them level all their Fears, Jealousies, and odious Reflections that way; to the end, that by the Royal Church-Party, who had the King's ear, they might still secure him further in their Interests, and have their helping-hand to carry on those Points they aimed at that way, viz. the hindring the Princesses matching with the Prince of Orange, and the Offensive Alliance so much feared then and now with the Con∣federates, &c. But this was but one Party of the Protestants; his Instructions also were to make a particular Interest among the Dissenters, and such as inclined to them at the same time, that in case they were defeated in the one, and saw no likeli∣hood of staving off the other, they might have them ready prepared to enter the lists against the former; and when War was ready to be declared against France,

to push them on, if possible, to raise a Civil Combustion at home, and to in∣sinuate into them; That the King, his Master, was willing privately to assist them as his Predecessor had done theirs in the late Civil Wars upon occasion, &c. in which sort of Negotiation the Mar∣quis was effectually enough seconded by his Countrymen-Hugonots then in England, and particularly by a man of singular Parts and Learning, and exceedingly well ver∣sed in Intriegue, named Monsieur—but on the contrary, in case they should have been able by the Royal Party to have been strong and successful enough to gain the two said Points, and hinder both the Match and the War, which was their business, and is still in part, to op∣pose; they had Orders to have the same Dissenting Party still ready, when King Lewis, and his Cousins of England, should have had that part of their ends of the Conforming Party, to make use of them against them, if they would not humour them so far as to suffer themselves to be carried quite back to Rome.

And because all our Protestants, how∣ever differently denominated, should take no umbrage at any of this Court's Pro∣ceedings, they thought fit once more, to let their Sun, as they so often term him, to cast some warm beams on the Hugonot Party at home, and to entertain them a∣while

with some Cour••ly Smiles, whereby they have designed to amuse our people, and at the same time make their own Pro∣testants to be their Instruments to carry on the Divisions of those, who, while united, are their only Protectors; for hitherto, while they have had War with the Confede∣rates, and chiefly with Holland, and are in fear of one with England, it being yet out of their power to destroy these people, they have thought it their interest not to exaspe∣rate them, whereby they may be tempted to run over to the Enemy; but rather for the present to court them, and make them serviceable unto them, by working in the very Mines which in all human probability are designed to blow them up withal; I will not intrude—When Captain E—returns, I should take it as a singular fa∣vour to receive a line from your Lordship, and particularly your. Sentiments of our Home-affairs, by him, whom I shall expect with utmost impatience, who am,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most Humble Servant.

Paris, Iuly 20. 1678.