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 IV. (Book 4)

Of the Sale of Dunkirk to the French, and by what Methods effected.

My Lord,

THat Cardinal Richlieu had ••ong before laid a Foundation for the French great∣ness, and even to nourish Thoughts of France's attaining in Time the universal Mo∣narchy, is notoriously known to all that are conversant in the Histories of his Time; and that Cardinal Mazarine, who succeeded him as Primier Minister of State, pursued his Steps, and made considerable Advances in the Design before he Dyed, which was a∣bout the Time of the Negotiation for the Sale of Dunkirk, is no less manifest; and that the Methods both the one and the other pursued, was to set their Engines on work

continually to embroil their Neighbours, ei∣ther in Intestine Jarrs, or in an open Invasi∣on of one anothers Territories, and then to invite themselves in to assist the weaker, that they might run away with the Prey from both; but among all their Neighbour Nati∣ons, the English were those they most dread∣ed, both out of Fear and Emulation of their Military Strength and Glory, and whom consequently they made their utmost Efforts to entangle in Civil Discords; and therefore it was that Richlieu took Advantage of the unhappy Conjuncture in the first sowing the Seeds of Discontent between King Charles I. and his Parliaments: And then by his Incen∣diaries kindled such a flame in the Three Kingdoms, as terminated not only in the Destruction of the King, but even of the Monarchy it self; so that the Nation after having undergone a Succession of almost all the Forms of Government, that have been in use among the Sons of Men run at last into the very Dregs of all Government, even Anarchy it self; which Mazarine did as stre••uosly en∣deavour to keep up amongst us, as his Pre∣decessor Richlieu had been forward to run us upon those dangerous Precipices that intro∣duced it; but when after all, the French Efforts to prevent our return to our Old and known Form again, by the Kings Restoration had failed; it struck no small damp upon the French Polititians, to see the Babel they had

been so long Erecting, and were now in a fair way to have laid on the Top-stone, in danger to be overthrown at one Clap, and to have all their Hopes dashed to pieces; and therefore they stood still for a Time to see what so mighty a Revolution in England might produce, and what mighty things a King in the Vigour of his Years (whom they had sufficiently provoked during his Exile) so high in the Love of his Subjects, the ancient Emulators of the French, and the People now in the most Martial Posture that ever they were in since England was a Nati∣on, would undertake; but finding all were Haleyon Da••s, and that then there was no apparent Disposition in our Court to make any Incroachment on their Neighbours; the French Ministers began to re-assume fresh Hopes, and to consider what Expedients might be proper for to promote their De∣signs, which now for some time had lain Dormant; one Project was that of the Match mentioned by me to your Lordship in my Last, which succeeding so well, and finding still that the King was far enough from de∣signing any War for the enlargment of his Territories, they resolved to make an Essay, and see whether he was willing to part with any thing that was already his own.

I do suppose your Lordship may have heard of Cardinal de Retz being in disgrace at the French Court, of his being forced to

flee the Kingdom, of his being at London incognito some time after the Restoration; what he was publickly accused for in France, was that he had favoured the Adverse Party about the Point of the Legitimacy, that he had invited Madamoisell d' Orleans to aspire to a Match with our King, and Abetted the Pre∣tensions of Rome against those of the Court, about the then growing Difficulties concern∣ing the Regale; but what ever the Reasons were, they were never Published, nor suffer∣ed to be so much as entred in the Minutes of other Secrets; but this is certain, that our King interceded with the French King on his behalf, and that he was admitted to return, and I have been assured, it was by the way of Dunkirk, and was sent afterward Embassa∣dor to Rome; but whether all this was a Jug∣gle, to carry on a Negotiation about Dun∣kirk, I will not positively affirm, but it looks as much like a French Trick, as one Egg does another.

That the Spaniards pressed our King very early for the Restitution of Dunkirk, is un∣controulably true, and made pretty large offers, and it is as true that the King rejected their Proposals, which yet did not discou∣rage the French Emissaries, of whom they had by this Time many in England, as the Minutes shew, who having ingratiated them∣selves with the Chancellor, and other hungry Courtiers made also their Overtures; and

told the King withal, that Cromwel was to have that Town only for a Temporary Cau∣tion, for so much Money due to him for his Assistance against the Spaniards, and that therefore it was a Matter of Right they insi∣sted upon seeing they were now ready to lay down the Summ, with more then Inte∣rest, nay, and they were so bold as to tell him farther, that if he refused to give it for Money, they would endeavour to recover the same by a War, and questioned not the Junction of the Hollanders with them, both by Sea and Land in that Case; they being as unwilling as the French, that the English should have footing so near them on the Con∣tinent, and in effect they made use of the Dutch Faction, and some Jews their Emissa∣ries in England, more then any Body else to bring that Affair about; and because they would be sure to meet with no Obstru∣ctions from the Spaniards, by renewing their Instances to the King, and alleadging a greater right to the Town then the French, they amused them with a Design they had to restore it to them again, upon a reasonable equivalent in Flanders, and gave it out that they had entred into a Treaty already with them upon that Head; but whether it was so in Reality I cannot tell, and this is all that I am able to inform your Lordship concerning our parting with that Impor∣tant Place; Only that the summ paid for it

was two Millions, and five hundred thou∣sand Lirves, and so I remain

My Lord,

Your Lordships most Humble Servant.

Paris, March 4. 1676. N. St.