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 LXVIII. (Book 68)

Of the Marquess de Louvois's being in England several times in King Charles the II. Reign, and about what Business.

My Lord,

IN my last to your Lordship, I have given some intimations concerning the Dukes being in France, and Closetted by the French King, and of Mr. Coleman's Negotiations, and imbroylments with this Court, together with his Wifes Calamitous life, and Tragical death, which I believe were wholly new to you; And I cannot think but that of the Marquess de Louvois, our great Minister of State here, his being again and again in Eng∣land and Closetted there with the King and Duke, must be equally strange and surpriz∣ing to you; but tho it be a secret, I verily believe, to all other persons on your side, except the two foremention'd persons; yet it is not so entirely such here, especially in our Office: that he has been wanting sometimes, and hardly any of his Family knew what was become of him, is most certain, and upon such occasions, it was sometimes given out, he was indispos'd in the Country; sometimes that he was sent into Handers, Alsatia, &c. whether he afterwards went actually with so much expedition, tho he rode in a ••••tter, that his Journeys into ••••••land were never

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perceiv'd: I find two several occasions wherein he was Closetted.

1. About a year before the breaking out of the second Dutch War, when he was sent particularly to help the King and his Brother to concert the Preparations for, and man∣ner of Carrying on that War.

2. To concert measures how to stave off the effects of the Popish Plot, by remitting of Mony to dissolve Parliaments, and by o∣ther methods, when they saw they were carrying things farther then the French In∣terest required to have them driven, but upon condition the two Brothers should not depart from their Interests for the future; To complot measures how to ensnare the Protestant Party, and especially the high Patriots in a Plot that should quite ex∣tinguish the Popish one, and give the Duke of York opportunity to cut off all those who stood in the way between him and the Crown, and between the Crown and absolute Power; All which Closettings have been very short as well as private, and perform∣ed with incredible diligence, and of which 'tis all I am able to inform your Lordship, and with which I conclude, remaining,

My Lord,

Your Lordships most humble Servant.

Paris, May 16. 1683. N. St.