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 LV. (Book 55)

Of the Methods the Iesuites used to pro∣mote Conversions in England, and how St. Germain attempted King Charles II. With his Answer, &c.

My LORD,

I Need not tell your Lordship that Fa∣ther St. Germain, a Jesuite, and one cal∣led out on purpose by the French King's Confessor, was the head Manager of Con∣versions (as they called them) and of their other wicked Designs upon our Country under the covert of that; and who having gained Coleman, now a fellow Domestick, into a close Confidence and Compliance with him, soon found means to procure several other fit Complices, among the most considerable Orders and Parties of Men in the Kingdom, whether seated in, or resorting to the famous Metropolis

thereof; and the better to draw in the Men, they were very industrious in ply∣ing the Women of Quality most fit for intreague, to declare themselves for their Church, and under that pretence to make so many Partizans for France as they could; whose Grandeur chiefly they had in view, as to the best of my remembrance I have noted once and again to your Lordship: And not that of the Pope of Rome, or his Religion, which was only to serve for a Covert to the other, to the end their Pra∣ctices might not be discovered, or coun∣termined by the other foreign Ministers of that Communion. And so good success they had in those Jugling-proceedings, that it bred in them indeed too much confidence of their going through with the rest of their Work with the same ease, and so made them guilty of the weaknes∣ses of an over-hasty bragging and betray∣ing of the Secrets of their Measures, which in so jealous a Nation as England is, for a Jesuite, and a French one too to do it, was a very great Error in Policy; for St. Ger∣main, and his Gang, having met with such success in their work as they dreamed not of, they hence, after having made sure of the Duke, took the confidence to attempt the King himself, and were, as they ima∣gined, heard very favourably by him, ha∣ving been often told by him in Complement, that he looked upon their Religion as the

most politick, and that they had really made him so much a Convert, as to think that the Protestant Religion produced but ill Subjects, &c. But finding for all this that the effect was not answerable to the hope∣ful and favourable incouragement, that he could not be brought actually to declare for them, they oftentimes railed at him in private in England, and when any of them came over hither occasionally, the mildest Character they could give of him was, That he was a Prince that looked upon all Religion as a politick Cheat, to keep the World in awe, &c. but this was after∣wards; for before upon such Comple∣ments from the King, as aforesaid, they were so over joy'd, that it did indeed make them indiscreet upon it, so far as to make it almost their common and or∣dinary Discourse, not only to those alrea∣dy fixed in their Opinion, and that were of a stay'd and reserved Temper, but e∣ven to new Converts, and baulling talka∣tive Women; nay, and inserted it in their Letters too, both In-land and Foreign, that they had gained both Duke and King to their Religion; that they had fished in the British Ocean with such wonderful suc∣cess, that they fished now only for the greater Fish of all, leaving the small Fry to come of themselves, having already catcht two Royal Fishes (the Dolphin and Tung) with many such like Expressions;

and it was very ordinary with them in Conferences of Controversies, when they saw other Arguments have little effect, to urge the Example of the King and Duke; two such wise Princes as they represented them, who knew and understood perfect∣ly well the Principles of the Reformed Reli∣gion, and all the Arguments it was defen∣sible by, and yet had in a manner yeild∣ed to the invincible force of the Truth, which appeared on their side; and had, said they, against their Temporal Interests, to the evident hazards of their Persons and Dignities, to which they preferred the Welfare of their more precious Souls, em∣braced the Roman Catholick Opinions. Yea, St. Germain proceeded so far in this kind of vanity, that he was in a fair way to be ru∣ined for ever; but I have not leisure at this Juncture to observe to your Lordship the Passages and Effects of that Conduct, but must refer it to my next, wherein I hope I shall not fail you, who am

My LORD,

Your ever obliged, and most obedient Servant.

Paris, Iuly 17. 1680. N. S.