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 XLV. (Book 45)

Of the Duke of York's being drawn into a close Correspondence with the French Court, with an Account of his Pension from thence.

My Lord,

I Cannot think your Lordship will so much admire, that the Duke should suffer himself to engage into a close Cor∣respondence with the French Court, yea, and to enter into a separate Treaty with them, when other things more un∣likely, have been made evident enough so as not to be contradicted: I cannot tell at present whether there be any other par∣ticulars of this same Treaty, than what has come within my Cognizance; but so much as has, as I hope it will be acceptable, I as freely communicate, and was in substance as followeth.

First, The Duke was engaged to stick close to his Alliance with France, decli∣ning all Treaties with those of the House of Austria, and even with the Pope him∣self, without the French King's Privity and Approbation.

Secondly, To oppose to the utmost of his Power, the King his Brother, from engaging in any War for the Confede∣rates.

Thirdly, To joyn with him, the French King, in making a strong Effort to draw in, if possible, the Prince of Orange to embrace a separate Interest from that of the States of Holland; and if not, to come over to the Roman Religion, at least to enter into a separate Treaty with the Kingdoms of France and Eng∣land, under a pretence of laying a sure foundation for his own future Great∣ness, and establish it on both sides the Sea by the suppression of all Factions which now disturbed his Uncle, and might afterward disturb him; and in case he proved still obstinate, to second him in all Methods that might be used to hinder his Succession to the Crown of England, by hindring any Match that might be proposed between the Prince

and the Princess Mary; and that he should for that purpose keep off Matching either of his Two Daughters upon seve∣ral pretences to gain time till a fit juncture might come, when Matches might be accomplished for them both, with French Princes, or some other Princes in that Interest, viz. the eldest to the Dauphin, and the younger to the Duke of Savoy, or a Prince of the Houses of Conde or Conti, or to the Duke of Modena.

Fourthly, That the Duke should do his utmost to have the Government of his Children himself, and to have them Tu∣••ored, if possible, in his own Religion; and if they were obstinate, in case he should sail of other Issue, then they would have had him to exclude them, and Adopt the Duke of Chartres for his Heir, (but this was only proposed) and Intail the Crown thence forward to Heirs Male only, and to have the Sa∣lique Law Established in England, as well as in France; but and if he should not be powerful enough to hinder a Match with the Prince of Orange, or some other Protestant Prince, (but of the former they were most jealous,) then to concur with them to cut him off; but this point would not be formally assented to neither.

But all Points proposed were on his part easily assented to; As doing his utmost for the propagation of the Ca∣tholick Religion, pursuing Measures con∣certed for dividing of Protestants, un∣dermining of Parliaments, and putting forward Arbitrary Counsels without re∣serve, and particularly to raise Arms in Scotland and Ireland, and call in French Forces, in case the King should at any time, by any Motives whatsoever, be influenced to act to the French King's prejudice.

Lastly, The Duke was to take care, That no Popish Clergy or Layety should be imploy'd by him, but such as were in the French Interests, and trust his main Secrets with none but such as were French-born Jesuits; on which Conditions he was to have a conside∣rable Annuity of Six hundred thousand Crowns, and extraordinary Sums when necessary, and the circumstances of things did require to carry on any of the fore∣mentioned Points, even to what he pleased himself to demand.

So all things being thus concluded, he received in hand, Three hundred thou∣sand Crowns of his Annuity, and Six

hundred thousand Crowns extraordinary; and Jewish Bankers were accordingly imployed to transmit the Money to him from time to time; Besides all which, the French King's Confessor promised him a private Contribution from the Clergy, and others under his influence, of six hundred thousand Crowns more. But notwithstanding all these mighty pro∣mises, and other more magnificent ones, That he should not want five or six Millions of Livres at any time, to bring a design to perfection when once he had made a progress; their Notes say, That private directions were given to feed him only with such mean pittances as would but just enable him to keep himself up, and persuade him still to go on, to per∣plex matters, or Broviller les Cartes as they term it, raise and exasperate Factions and Parties; but never to proceed so far as totally to suppress any, lest he should make himself too much Master, and by that means be able to set up for him∣self, without their further Aid and Con∣currence, or have any Money to spare and lay up for his own use, or to im∣ploy in private Cabals against them.

The same Method they used. My Lord, with most of their other Pensioners a∣mong the English Popish Party; but to

all their other Instruments, they were most liberal and punctual, till such time as they had no further use of them, and had a mind to turn them off, and pro∣voke them, as we have said, to use their Talents on a contrary side. Pardon, I beseech, your Lordship, my prolixity, and interpret it for a willingness to serve you, as it really is, in him, who is,

My Lord,

Your most humble and most devoted Servant.

Paris, Jan. 28. 1680. N. S.