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 LXIII. (Book 63)

Of the Popish Plot, and Father Kelley's Menaces.

My LORD,

THE discourse about the Plot cannot be more in England than 'tis here, but the Particulars of the prosecution of it, your Lordship must know much better than I; I do not question, but there is Villany enough at the bottom of it, but our Ministers are as deep in the sudds as any other whatsoever, who by their slights, and wicked practises, have drawn the Eng∣lish Papists into such Combinations, as hath put the Nation into such ferments, in∣curable Jealousies and divisions, as hath effe∣ctually diverted the English from hunting the French in Flanders, by imploying them to hunt the Papists, and Jesuits at home, as they have been pleased to word it: My Lord,

It may not perhaps be unpleasing to give your Honour an account of some passages that happened between one Father Kelley an Irish Priest, and my self in this City lately concerning the King, &c. I know very well, that there were, and and perhaps may be still some of that name in England, but this same has lived for some years at Paris, by St. Jean de Greve; and tho' a Priest is a great Banker, paying most of the pensions for secret service transmitted to the English Romanists, but chiefly to Irish Papists in England and Ire∣land, and who by his discourse upon the late English Fleet and Armies being ready, and the War likely to be declared against this Kingdom, was pleased then to say somewhat in relation to this Conspiracy, that I have little thought on till very lately, and that may give your Honour some light into the designs of this Court; say'd he, the King of France will find him (meaning our King) work enough by Divisions at home, and discovering, if needs be, his and his Bro∣thers intreagues in France, and does not care tho' he expose all the Roman Catholicks in the three Kingdoms, to a general and hot persecution, so long as, like the Turkish Asaphi, they serve to blunt the English Men's fury, and divert them from thwart∣ing the designs of the potent Catholick Kingdom of France, which would after∣ward set all right again, but that he was

in hopes by their hunting of Papists, they would never leave hunting the King and his Brother too, if they proved refractory, till they had brought them to take Sanctu∣ary in a stricter Alliance with the French King than ever, as their only Safe-guard; and that it was in the French King's power to spring up a Plot next day, to give the King of England Game enough for his life time, for that the Mines and Trains were already lay'd, and that there needed only putting fire to them, &c. I am very sor∣ry I could not have oblieged your Lord∣ship sooner with these passages, which yet I hope comes not too late, but it may in some measure be grateful from

My LORD,

Your Humble Servant.

Paris, Feb. 28. 1678. N. S.