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 XVI. (Book 16)

Of an Order prohibiting the Reformed to fre∣quent the Chappels or Houses of the Ambassa∣dors of Foreign Princes.

My Lord,

OUR Court here, it seems, have thought it a little too low to descend to forbid the Reformed to frequent the Protestant Chappels of Foreign Ministers, and therefore they have consigned that pi••ce of Drudgery unto the Ci∣vil Magistrate of this City, who has done it in such terms as are as like to another Equivoca∣tion I have already mention'd to your Lord∣ship, that it cannot otherwise be than a Pig of the same Sow; for the Order does not men∣tion, T••at those who were still of the Reformed Religion should not be present at any Divine Worship in the Houses of Ambassadors, and of

other Ministers of Foreign Potentates; but it has a term of Expression that is very singular and pretty, calling them those who say, they are still of the Reformed Religion; as if it were now somewhat strange or criminal, after what hath been mention'd in the latter clause of the Edict of Revocation, whereof I have some time since taken particular notice to your Lordship, to continue still of that Religion, to which it hath promised so little support, or use the freedom to say it: But hereby 'tis plain, they are intent to cut off the only Resource and Consolation they had left them under their hard Fortune, by enjoyning 'em not to frequent those Religious Ex∣ercises practised in privileg'd and exempt Houses. And while the Roman-Catholicks in all Protestant Countries have the Liberty publickly to be pre∣sent at their own way of Religious Worship, which is celebrated in the Houses of all Popish Ambassadors, the unhappy Remnant of the French Protestants are hereby utterly deprived of the little Conveniency which they had, both seldom and secretly, of presenting themselves at the Houses of Protestant Ambassadors, there to pay their Devotions with some marks of Union. One should think, my Lord, the Foreign Poten∣tates should resent this; but, alas! that Inte∣rest seems to be quite in the Wain, since our Native Country has left holding the Scales, which I cannot less than deplore, tho it's out of my power to redress: But, who knows what your Lordship—I am,

My Lord,

Yours in sincerest Affection and Sense of Duty.

Paris, Dec. 16. 1685. N. S.