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 XXI. (Book 21)

Of Monsieur Claude's Book, entituled, A Protestation, in the Name of the Re∣formed; winked at in France, and King James made their Drudge to burn it in En∣gland.

My Lord,

TO think that your Lordship hath not seen and read Monsieur Claud's Protestation in the Name of the Resormed, were to judge very disrespectfully and diminitively of your Curiosi∣ty, and therefore for me to descant upon it, can∣not but be nauseous; but give me leave to ob∣serve to your Lordship the different Procedure of the two Courts at this time, tho' its not doubted here, and I hope in a short time to give you a further account of it; but that they are entred into very close Measures and Designs to∣gether, which will appear in due Place: No∣thing can be heard on this Side but the loud and dreadful Cry, of Constrain them all to come in, while our Emissaries, in conjunction with their Popish Leyitical Brethren on your Side, are a preaching up a general Indulgence to tender Consciences, and a Sovereign Duty, to grant equal Toleration to all Opinions; and one would almost believe both are sincere. But, my Lord, the Burning of the foresaid Book, which is an Abridgment of the History of the Persecution, by our King's Order, under Pre∣tence

of its containing a Doctrine contrary to the Authority of Kings, is an ill Proof of the latter; and an half-sighted Man cannot but see, that maugre all the Inclination that seems to be in the Court, towards granting Indulgence to others, their Designs must have quite another Tendency; but I find this Court has got the Ascendency, for they have cunningly enough judged it more profitable to dissemble the Injury they conceive they have received by the foresaid Book, than to take a Publick Revenge, for fear lest all the World should come to read a Piece that was so dangerous to them and ob∣noxious to their Interest; and when they well knew they had formed a Tool to do that to their Hands, with less Envy to themselves and more to::::: When ever they required it; I heartily beg your Lordships Pardon for my Freedom with you, who am,

My Lord,

Your very humble Servant.

Paris Nov. 6. 1686.