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 LII. (Book 52)

The Duke of York moves the French Court for Money, according to the pri∣vate Agreement.

My LORD,

YOu have heard what a Spoke Mr. Cole∣man was pleased to put in the King and even, the Duke, his dear Master's wheel, which they, poor Princes, know∣ing nothing of, moved hard for the Summes promised by France: the Duke as supposing his Credit the better, being the forwarder of the Two, and whose Pretences were, that he had been forced to lay out by advance, the greatest part of the Money already pay'd to make Creatures for their mutual Interest, and future advantage, all such Enterprizes being much more charg∣able to begin, then to carry on, and per∣fect; that when Correspondencies were begun they must be carried on, and that still by advance, if any thing of service were expected, or hoped for.

That he had a most difficult and uneasy Task to deal with the King, his Brother's timerous and changeable Disposition, and was, and had been at a very great Ex∣pence to greaze Favourites of more Kinds then one, that might influence and per∣swade

him to, and hinder others that might disswade him from what they in France did expect from him, or urged him to; as also to appease and quell Ene∣mies on all sides, which his late Match with their adopted Daughter, and change in Religion had stirred up violently a∣gainst him; and that to keep the King, his Brother, steddy in a favourable Neutrali∣ty in regard to France, and yet at the same time either break off the Match quite with the Prince of Orange, defer it so long as they desired, or negotiate a private Treaty with that Prince in their favour, and to their advantage, with that power and good ef∣fect desirable, required, as they might well imagine, more than ordinary Summes of Money, and all ready, and in Specie too.

But that if besides his ordinary Allow∣ance, according to the Agreement, which he expected should be punctually pay'd him every six months, he could but have a Summ of a Million of Crowns again seasonably advanced him for Extraordi∣naries, before the time of the next proro∣gation of the Parliament were expired; then he did believe he might bring mat∣ters so to bear, by such a Reinforcement, so as to be able to gain Votes enough even in the Parliament it self to carry it a∣gainst all others, both in respect to the Neu∣trality, and to the gaining their Consent for deferring any Foreign Allyance, by

way of Marriage of either of his Daugh∣ters, till a General Peace was concluded, and work very much with the Prince of Orange too to comply with their desires, when he should see the Parliament gave him no hopes otherwise of compassing his Aims; or if not, yet at least he should be able hereby to keep himself still strongest in the Privy Council, and in the Court, where nothing should be transacted to their disadvantage.

That both his own Friends and theirs had been so very successful, and made such wonderful progresses in Conversions of all sorts and Ranks of People, as that of such and such Peers of the Realm (I will not say your Lordship was one named among the rest) such and such Courtiers, and Mem∣bers of Parliament, &c. that such and such Bishops, Eminent Doctors in Divinity, and other dignified Clergy, and such and such Gentlemen who were remarkable for In∣terest and Estates, or Eminent for exqui∣site Parts, though they have learnt here since there was nothing more false, were either already converted, and quite brought over, or extraordinarily well inclined; and that there was no doubt to be made of it, but by an augmentation of about four or five hundred thousand Crowns more for the Cause and Interest of Religion, they might be able so to dispose of the greater and more noted part of the Conforming

Church of England, which was the main of their Work, as to bring them over to their Religion; yea, and even to declare for it, publickly too, as soon as they should be freed from the Fears of the English Mo∣bile, and of the Fanatical Sectaries, and see a General Peace concluded, and the King himself declare for it, being back'd with so powerful a Prince as his Most Christian Majesty was; that however ma∣ny of them were already brought over to the French Interest against the Dutch, and many more might be so, if timely Libera∣lity were offered, with many other Alle∣gations, set off with Coleman's usual flou∣rishes on the behalf of his Master, though he had countermined all before, as I have already hinted: And lastly, that he had once more attacked the King, his Brother, as to Religion, and that with great hopes; and that if he could have but Money enough to carry on the Point with the Church of England, he questioned not, but by that time a General Peace were negotiated, his Majesty would be induced to declare too, when besides, his support abroad from the Most Christian King, he should see himself backt by almost all his Royalists, then numerous enough in the Nation, and so great, yea, more than a probability of an Accommodation between the two Chur∣ches of Rome and England, and his potent Brother of France then by the Peace at full

Liberty to lend him all needful Help. My Lord, you see here what little Sincerity there was in all their mutual Proceedings: May the Reward be suitable, is my un∣feigned Wish; as it has been already to some. But—I am,

My LORD,

Your Lordship's Most Humble and Devoted Servant.

Paris, Mar. 9. 1680. N. S.