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 V. (Book 5)

Overtures made to King Charles II. for the Sale of Tangier to the French, and how prevented.

My Lord,

THe French having (as I have given your Lordship an Account in my Last) gained their Point in the buying of Dunkirk, whereof the French Forces took Possession a∣bout October in the Year, 1662. they pau∣sed a little to see how the English would re∣sent it before they would make any further Paces for the Promotion of their Cause to our Disadvantage; but finding the Memory of the Anarchical Times, together with the Nation's, according the Example of the Court, daily degenerating from the Severity of Manners in Former Times, had in a man∣ner laid them fast asleep, and quite oblitera∣ted

all Thoughts of Military Glory, so far as if there had been a sudden Transmutation of the Genius of the People, they resolved to make another Essay upon the easie temper of the King, and try whether he would also part with Tangier unto them; but whether it were that the King was sensible already of his Mistake in parting with Dun∣kirk, or that this very Motion of theirs put him upon considering what he had done, and the great Error he had committed in Poli∣cy thereby, it is certain he gave them an ab∣solute Denial; and that their Minutes speak, but say withal that to be revenged of his De∣nial, and make him odious after their usual Manner; this Court ordered it however to be reported as if he had been willing for it; and further add, that the Kings real An∣swer was, that Tangier being his Queens Dowry, to whom he had not long been Married; it would not at all suit with his Honour to sell it, neither could he well part with it, unless he parted with Her; that it was by Parliament annext to the Imperial Crown of England, and so could not be Sold without them; that if both He and his Par∣liament too might be willing to sell it at ano∣ther Time; yet to be sure, it was not pro∣per to think of it just then, when after so much Treasure and Blood spent upon it al∣ready, it might if ever, prove of some use to the Nation, in the War then like to be∣gin

with the Dutch: that he could not part with it to the French King so well as to any other Christian Prince, nay not so well as even to the Moors themselves, without giving a very just and therefore a dangerous Cause of Jealousie to his People, especially in that Juncture, when by the Carriage of the French he had great Cause to suspect, they were Jealous of his grandeur at Sea; and would joyn with the Dutch against him: which re∣fusal of his, I must tell your Lordship, was indeed one of the secret Causes among others why they soon after actually joyned with that Nation, to diminish our Power, to sham them, and weaken and undermine us both, as well as to hatch up a Navy of their own; and since I am entred upon this Sub∣ject; your Lordship will pardon me, if I proceed a little further, and acquaint you; that they did afterwards renew their Instan∣ces about the Sale of the said Place, with much more earnestness then before, and that at a Time when their Interest was much stronger, and more prevalent at our Court; and yet even then, tho' the Parliament had denied him the supplies which he demanded extraordinary, as your Lordship well knows, to be appropriated for the maintenance of Tangier, and that he was in great streights for Money, he would not sell it to the French, nor restore it to Portugal; but chose rather to demolish it, and abandon it to

the Moors; why he would not sell it to the French, I have already given the Reasons, but there was perhaps another more preva∣lent Argument for it; viz. the strong Vote of the House of Commons to that Purpose, which your Lordship knows better then I can pretend to inform you; to which perhaps I may subjoyn another in due place, and there∣fore now can only subscribe my self

My Lord,

Your Lordships most Humble Servant.

Paris, Octob. 24. 1684. N. St.