D. VAN LEYDEN VAN LEEUWEN

— 457 — [1680. Décembre.

LETTRE MCCCLXIÏ.

Le Duc d'York au Prince cC Orange. Il ri ajoute pas foi aux bruits sur ses relations avec le Duc de Monmouth.

Edinburgh , Dec. 8.

I receved two days since yours of tbe 5 , by the which I see that Mr Sîdney had informed you of some discources had been at London concerning the D. of Monmouth having been some tyme with you; I know that some very good freinds of yours and myne did wonder at his being so much with you, but truly I did not thinke you had any affairs or intrigue togather, but I did wonder how that he could hâve the confidence to intrude himself upon you , as he did , that had behaved himself so to me as he had done, and had joyned himself not only with my declared enemys, but even with the enemys of monarky itself, which he lias made sufficiently apeare by many of his actions, and more particularly by his behavior since he came into England, which I am sure you know as well as I, so that I need not repeat them to you, and you may be sure I did not thinke you could hâve any comerce with him, to my préjudice; for, besids the concerne I know you hâve for me, I know he cannot overreach you, so that you were in the right not to make any great apologi to me upon that subject. This place affords no newse and you may be assured I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

LETTRE MCCCL.XIII.

Le Duc oVYork au Prince oV Orange. On vise à changer la Monarchie en République.

Edenburgh , Dec. 11.

I see, by yours of the 10, that you were corne back to the liage and that you hâve a right sence of the bill

1680. Décembre.] — 458 —

of limitations, which is now depending in the house of Lords and, as you do, so I hope it will not passe, thinking thatt bill to be yett more prejuditiall to the monarky and our family then even that of exclution, which was throwne out by the Lords. I see, by a letter of Mr Sidney, and a paper he sent, that was given him by the Pentioner and M. de Morno, being the substance of a discours they had had with him just after they had heard of my bills being rejected by the Lords , that they were not of your mind , but for his Ma. agreeing in every thing with his Parliament, which, should he do, I am sure it would not be long before they would find the inconveniancy of it; for, beleve me, tis a republike which is at the bottom of ail thèse affairs in England, and not religion, and, any one false step more his Ma. make of parting from more of his power, he and the mtmarky are gone, and you see every day how he is used, but that is not to be wondred at, when he has been so betrayd by some of them he trusted the most, which he and ail the world cannot chuse but see, tho may be he dos not thinke fitt to take notice of it. I will say no more upon this subject nor on any els now , but to assure you that I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

LETTRE MCCCLXIV.

Sir L. Jenkins au Prince d'Orange. Nouvelles.

Whitehall , 14 Decemb. 80.

Being fallen, on Friday last, under the displeasure of the H. of Commons, I did not, by that nights poste, présume to write any thing to your Highnesse, nor dare I write any thing now, least I be thought partiall to myself. His Ma. intends to speak openly to both Houses to morrow, with référence to Tanger and our forreign allyances , to the end he may know what to trust to. I beseech God to putt into their hearts to give his Ma. a

— 459 — [i680. Décembre

good answer. The Commons intend to morrow for a great day to consider of the state of the nation. The D. of Monmouth was feasted yesterday (together with severall lords and gentlemen) by the sea-faring men in the skirts of this Citty. As the Duke of Monmouth returnd home, he had the usuall acclamations from one end of the Citty to the other; such tumultuous proceedings deserve a good check.

His Highnesse the Prince.

LETTRE MCCCLXV.

Sir L. Jenkins au Prince cU Orange. Nulle apparence de conciliation entre les partis.

Whitehall, 17 Dec 80.

I did myself the honor to give ' Highnesse some short accounpt with every ordinary of our proceedings (saveing that I misst the last save one) ever since the beginning of our présent session of Parliament. It afflicted me still very much not to be able to give your Highnesse any well grounded hopes that things were tending to an union. It afflicts me so still, for wee hâve no appearance of tending, as we ought to doe, to a generall accommodation. For instance, every days work produces an offer at some thing or other, that is prejudiciall to the prérogatives of your crown. One thing was advanced yesterday that entrenchd upon an ancient dignity of the Peers of England. It was that, when a Commoner spoke ill of a Peer, he \v;is not admitted by law to justifie his words; this the Commons would hâve taken away by a law, which they of the house of Lords do take extremely ill. This and such like incidents do infîame, but to morrow is the day to consider the Kings last speech, and therefore I will not prejudge the temper that the Commons will be in ,

1 jour omis.

1680. Décembre.] — 460 —

but beseech Grod to sanctifie ail their délibérations. I am, with perfect respect, your Highnesses most dutifull servant.

LETTRE MCCCLiXVI.

Sir L. Jenkins au Prince d'Orange. Nouvelles.

Whitehall, 21 Dec. 1680.

This afternoon the Commons wayted on his Majestie with their answer to the speech that his Majestie made to both houses. It is my misfortune that I cannot procure a copie this night to be sent your Highnesse. The promise that they make of supplies is clogg'd with severall hard conditions; the hardest is, to passe the Bill for excluding the Duke and the association that is thought necessary to attend it. His Majestie was not pleas'd to give any answer for the présent. The earl of Salisbury is said to hâve mov'd this day in the House of Lords that the earl of Feversham , Mr Hyde , and col. ' Legg should be remov'd from his Majestie, by reason of their too great addiction to the Duke. I wish I had any ground of hopes to give your Highnesse of a good issue from the ouvertures between his Majestie and his Commons; we must expect some further steps; as things stand at this time, it would be easy and naturall to fall into a perfect good understanding with his Majestie, which God in his mercie grant.

LETTRE TWCCCLXVII.

Le Duc oVYork au Prince d'Orange. Il n'a pas le moindre soupçon qu'il ait des intelligences avec le Duc de Monmouth.

Edenburgh, Dec. 23.

I receved on sonday yours of the 19, in which you mention some discourses had been made of your knowing of the D. of Monmouths coming over. I assure you I

1 colonel.

461 — [1680. Décembre.

never gave the least creadit to it; knowing you to well to beleve any such thinge, and therfore it was not necessary for you to hâve justifyd yourself, as you hâve done, and his behavior has been such as no man of sence could hâve been thought his ad viser, thad wished well to his Ma. affairs; for, tho he has done himself harme , yett his flying in his Ma. face , as he has done , shews the weeknesse of our gouvernement, which has very ill effects abroad. This day I receved yours of the 22, and shall be very impacient to know what will become of the great affaire with you; as for the newse you had out of France, I give little creadit to it, and would say more to you but that it is so late that I must make an end , which I shall always do , with assuring you that I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

LETTRE MCCCL.XVIII.

Le Duc à? York au Prince d'Orange. Le Roi et lui ne doutent pas que la démarche des Etats- Généraux à l'appui du Bill d'exclusion n'ait été faite sans son aveu.

Edenburgh, Dec. 25.

By the last post I receeved yours without a date, and by it see you are in paine that it was reported that the Stats had pressed his Ma. to passe the bill of exclusion; I easily beleve you had no hand in the paper Mr Sidney sent, as the sence of the Stats; for I hâve read a copy of it, and hâve it still by me, which to me seems to persuade his Ma. to agrée with his Parliament, in that, as well as every thinge els, in which I thinke I am not mistaken, and hâve been informed his Ma. was of that mind to, having ordred Mr Sidney to be reprimanded for having taken and sent such a paper, and looked on it to hâve had its rise from a neare relation of his, and I cannot help beleving that, without encouragment from London and the envoyé himself, such a paper had never

1680. Décembre] — 462 —

been sent, and I easily beleve you had no hand ' it, for, besids the unjustice of such a thing, you hâve to much kindnesse for me, and for the Monarky, and our family, to hâve promoted an y thing of that kind, knowing that a bill of exclution or limitation, and more especially the later, must of necessity destroy for ever the Monarky, and now I hope ail the world is convinced, by what past this day sennight in the house of Commons, that their désigne is to use this King, as the long Parliament did his father, but I hope he will sone put a stop to their violent proceding; if he do not, he cannot be King long. As for newse, some of the scolars of the coledg 2 hère, did désigne to hâve burnt the pope, with such ceremonys as was latly done at London , and had apointed this day to do it, but the gouvernment hère, not liking such tumultus doing, had some of them put in prison this morning, for entring into a bond to do it, which is very pénal by the laws hère; I meane, making any combination, tho the thing in its self might be never so innocent; however a few of them this morning came up a bystreat carring a pope, which some officers seing went towards them, upon which they ran away and lift their pope, to which they had put fire, and so the matter ended, at least for this day, and, tho this in itsself be realy nothing , I beleeve from London they were sett on to do it, and that ill people there will make a great noyse out, which is ail I hâve to say now, but to assure you that you shall always find me as kind to you as you can désire.