L.ËTTRÏ: MCCLXXXVIÏ

Le Duc d'York au Prince d^ Orange. Le Roi peut se maintenir sans subsides du Parlement.

Newmarkctt, Mardi 11.

I would not lett this bearer S'" Gabriel go back to you, without writing to you by liim, which I do from this place, because I had not tyme to write the day before I came from London , and knew this would be sone ' enough there to find him. I hâve spoken my mind very freely to him , and besids ^ he is so fuUy informed of ail things that it is necessary to say little by him. I liope things will mend every day, and that we shall make a better figur every where, now that his Ma. is able to subsist upon his owne revenu, without the help of a Parliament ; which is ail I shall say now to you, but that you shall always find me very kind to you.

For ray Sonne the Prince of Orange.

liETTRE MCCIiXXXVIlI.

Le Duc d^York au Prince d Orange. Il s^inquiUe au sujet de la Princesse.

St. Jamess, March 23.

I hâve now three of yours to answer; two of which I receved at Newmarckett, to which I could not answer till now ; as for the tliird , which was of the 29 , it is just now corne to me, and bas put me in very great paine for my daughter, to see that she was so ill when you wrot , and shall be very inpacient till the next letters come, and pray at any tyme when she is not in a condition to Write herself, lett heare from you how she dos. I am to go back to Newmarckett to morrow morning early, and I had so many people with me ail this day that till now I could not write, and it is now so late

^ soon. ^ besiilo?. •

1680. Mars.] — 388 —

that I hâve not tyme to any more but that you shall always find me very kind to you.

For my Sonne the Prince of Orange.

liETTRE HCCLXXXIX.

Le Duc (ÏYork au Prince cC Orange. Intrigues de Lord Shaftshury,

Newmarket, March 29.

I am very sorry to find, by yours of the 2 of April, that my daughter is yett soo ill, and shall be in very

great paîne till I hear she is better As for newse , his

Maj. returns back to London on wensday, which is soner .then he intended when he came hither; it is to long a story to tell you the whole matter that occasiond it, only in short. Lord Shafsbury has taken this tyme of his Ma. being absent, to informe the counsell of a new plott in Irland, and by it, as I and many beleve, designed to make as great a disturbance there as he has done hère and to ruine the D. * of Ormond. His Ma. is no ways satisfyd, to speake freely to you, with what vi^as agoing to be done upon it by some of them, and so gos soner then he intended , to prevent the ill designs of that little man. You will hear of this from others, and besids I hâve not tyme to say more of it. I Write this by Cap. Maxwel, to whom I am very glad to heare you hâve given a company; whem you know him, I am sure you will like him, he being reported a very good foott-officer. I am sure he is an ingenious man, and be asseured I shall always be as kind to you as you can désire.

LETTRE 9I€€X€

Le Duc d!York au Prince d! Orange. Même sujet.

London , April 2.

I was very glad to find, by yours of the 4, that my

1 Duke.

— 389 — [16S0. Avril.

daughter was somewhat better, and hope by your next to heare that she mends a pace , and shall long extremly for the next letters. The Irish plott is , as I thought it would, corne to nothing, after having been examind and inquired into before his Ma. in councell, and the man that was brought by Lord Shafsbury proves to be a very great villan, and says nothing but upon hearesay; but you will hâve a more particular account of this from others, so that I need say no more ont \ and, if I would, I hâve only tyme to assure you that you shall always find me as kind to you as you can désire.

LETTRE MCCXCI.

M. Godolphin au Prince d^ Orange. Bruits dtun complot en Irlande; le Roi disposé à s'allier avec r Espagne et i' Empereur.

London, April the 2. 1680.

I had the honour of a letter from your Highnesse, while I was att Newmarckett, which I did not acknowledge from thence , not having any thing to acquaint you with ail that was worth your trouble. The King came , some days sooner than he intended, to London, at the request of the Councill, who had been informée! by mylord Shaftsbury that there was a person now in towne, whose name he was to conceale , that was able to make out the discovery of a very great plott, that was carrying on in Ireland by those of the popish religion, for the delivery upp of that kingdome into the hands of the French. The thing was brought to them with that formality and with such injunctions of secrecy, that at fîrst the Councill took it to bee very considérable, but, upon examination of the matter since the Kings returne , it appeares this plott was to hâve taken effect in October last was twelvemonthe , that ail which this man prétends to know was but by

1 on it.

1680. Avril.] ■ — '-^90 —

hearesay froin otliers, aud he himselfe the informer known, by men of unquestionable creditt, to bee a man of a very scandalous réputation. I give your Highnesse the trouble of this account, because I know not how it may bee represented in Holland by people that are not well informed of this matter, and because I would willingly prevent your being alarm'd , when there is no ground at ail for it. However, though there appeares to bee noe great weight in this information, yet the King has taken ail the care that is possible to make a thorow ' search into the truth of itt. The King continues in the best disposition imaginable to goe through ail difficultys in making the Allyances proposed, though it is no small discouragement to see how slow the Spanyards are in sending powers hither, and how backward the Emperour is in meeting our good inclinations; if it lies in your Highnesses way to quicken both the one and the other, I think it might doe very well; I doe not know how they understand it, but in my opinion it is very reasonable for us to treat with Spayne and the Emperour joyntly and at the same time, soethat, when there shall been powers arriv'd hère from Spayne, either to the Marquis de Burgomayne (which were to bee wish'd) or to any other, yett I doe not find they are like to hâve any efFect, unlesse there bee likewise some body impoured * from the Emperour to joyne in a treaty with him. I beleive M'" van Leewven will bee able to give your Highnesse an account of the Kings disposition to putt off the Parliament for noe longer time than you seeme to think is convenient for the encouragement of our friends; but his Majesty has nott yett taken a positive resolution to what day it shall bee prorogued.

I shall not bee able to say any thing farther cor.cerning your money, till after Easter.

* thoroui^li. " empowered.

— 391 — [1680. Avril.

liEiTTRc: mccxcii.

Le Duc d^York au Prince d^ Orange. La prorogation du Parlement fort courte.

London, April 6.

I hâve now receved two of jours , of the 9 and 1 2 , since I wrot to you, by the last of which I was very glad to find my daughter had been abroad to take the aire, which I hope will sone restore her to her perfect health. You see, by the short prorogation which is to be, his Ma. dos his part as you can expect, and will continu the same measurs, which I hope will contribut very much towards the continuance of peace and quiatnesse ^ abroad , as well as at home. His Ma. intends to go to AVindsor soner this yeare then he bas yett done, and bas named the 19, and from thence designs to go to Newmarckett on the 27, to see some horse-races of concequence, which are then to be run, one of them being bettwene the two very best horses of ail England; he thinks of stayng ' but two days there, and to be back hère on the last of this month, and to stay att May-day and to returne to Windsor the next day. I hâve not tyme to say more now, and be assured that you shall nev'er find any altération in ray kindnesse to you.

LETTRE MCCXCIIT.

Lord. Sunderland au Prince d^ Orange. Excellentes disposi" lions du Roi,

Monsieur van Leeuwen will let your Highnesse know that the Parlement will be prorogued to a day as he desired, that is to the 17 of May, which the King did yesterday déclare at Councell. Wee are very impatient for the arrivall of D. Pedro Konquillo and somebody

1 quietaess. 2 staying.

1680. Avril.] — 392 —

from tlie Emperour; ail the care immaginable lias been taken to remove the jealousies of the Imp. Court, and I hope there îs little of it left; ail the letters which S"^ G. Sylvius desired are goiie to him, or shall goe this night; in a Word the King thinkes his ovvne and the good of ail Christendome dépends on the alliances he is now making, and what he has already done towards that désigne, with the care he has of late taken to compose things at home, hâve had so good an efFect that ail the countreys are in a very quiet and satisfyed condition, and give markes of it every day. The City is the same, and, without doubt, the measures his Ma. takes now being persued ' , it will be eut of the power of any body to hurt him, either within his dominions or from without them, and a few men, who would fright ail the rest of the world out of theire wits, hâve not the crédit they had or that they thinke they hâve, and that is seen now and will be more plaine, when the Parlement meets, which I can assure you the King beleives to be the onely cure for ail our late distempers, and does nothing but with that prospect, which I can assure your Highnesse to be true , upon my Word and honour, which I will never thus expose to deceave you. His Majesty is certainely now persuing the true interest of his people, and I will never beleeve a King of England, doing that, can ever want theire support. I am, with ail possible respect, your Highnesses * April the 6. *

lettre: mccxciv.

Le Duc d'York au Prince (V Orange. Rumeurs touchant le Duc de Monmonth.

London, April 16.

It was so late when I receved yours of the 19 on tusday night that I could not answer it then or write to 1 parsaed. ' Sam signature»

— 393 — [1680. Avril.

you, and besids then I had little to say. Yesterday the Parlement was prorogued iintill the 17 of May and, wlien that day coms, you may be sure there will be the sarae considération had of afFairs abroad , as was now. T beleve you may hâve heard of a story of a certaine black box that S"" Gilbert Garrat had found amongst the late Bishop of Durhams papers concerning the D." of Monmouth, it has been so discourced on in towne that his Ma. thinks himself obliged to enquier into it and to lett the world see that, if there be any such paper as is reported, that it is a false one and has been forged hère. His Ma. is very much concerned at it, and is a doing that which will put an end to any such reports for the future, but it will be some days for it , sir G. Gerrat being not yett in towne. As for the présent temper of the severall countrys, the judges and ail that are come to towne do say they find , within thèse two or three months , the greatest altération for the better that can be imagined, and what his Ma. has done in purging the commissions of the peace of ail disaffected people to him, has contributed very much to it, by encouraging her old freinds , the Cavalere or Church-party , and truly I am persuaded, if he do but continu stedy to the grounds he has now layd downe to himself (as I make no doubt but he will) that, within some tyme, he will be more master and in' a better condition then he has been thèse many a yeare, so that, except the D. of Monmouth do some hott headed thing, which I thinke hira capable of, ail things are like to be very quiat * hère. Lord Ossory is againe made a Prive Counceller, which I beleve you will be glad to heare, and [1 beleeve he would be glad to know what to trust to, 'and to hâve an end of his affaire in Holland, one way or other. My letter is so long already that I shall say no more but to assure you that you shall always find me as kind to you as you can désire.

^ quiet.

1680. Avril.] — 394 —

LETTRE MCCXCV.

M. Hyde au Prince d! Orange. Il regrette le départ de M, de Bourguemaine,

Whitehall, Apryl 16, 1680.

I hâve received the honour of your Highnesses letter of the 19, in answer to those letters from hence that carried the news of the prorogation of the ParHament, which I am extrême glad to find gave your Highnesse so much satisfaction; I hope ail our measures will ever doe soe. M'^ de Bourgameine is goeing very suddainly away from us, towards the Emperour, which I am sorry for, upon some considérations that a man whom we ail know very well at Court and is knowne and believed by ail the others toc, should not stay to finish an alliance which hath been so long wished for generally in the nation, or at least to bear wittnesse for us, which I doubt we shall need, if we doe not succeed, that now the fault is not to be imputed to us; but he says his orders are so précise, that his journey is indispensable; so at least we may expect one advantage by it, that he will endeavour to remove ail the obstacles in that Court whether he is goeing , and fully convince them that we are in good earnest hère, to conclude with them upon terms that shall be good for us both. He says that the same yacht that carrys him over is to bring hither Don Pedro Ronquillo, who is a man that will please the King well, but I know not whether he will hâve the same creditt out of the Court, where we hâve need of good certificates that we doe proceed de bonne foy. If we hâve good fortune in concluding thèse alliances, I doe not know what should hinder us from meeting the ParHament, which I am sure I aime at, and, notwithstanding the possibility of bringing the year about without them , it will not be well till that reconciliation be made, if I may call it soe, between the King and his People , but indeed the alliances must be made in

— 395 — [1680. Avril.

the fîrst place, that there mây be no roome for any to say that they are not intended to be made and that under hand it is still ail French.

Last night there hath another very unfortunate accident hapned in the towne , allmost like to that of S'' Edmund Godfrey. A gentleman of Monmouthshire , one M^ Arnold , a justice of peace there and very active against the Papists, was sett on in a little lane, by three men, unknowne to him , and wounded in severall places ; they designed no doubt to hâve killed him, but a light passing by made them run away; one of them crying out to this Arnold , „remember capitaine Evans." This Evans was a jésuite, whom this justice of peace was the cheife occasion of descovering and was afterwards hanged last year. This I say is a very unfortunate accident, to revive mens fears and appréhensions of the plott, which were pretty well asleep, but there is noe care nor watchfullnesse can prevent the folly and wickednesse of men that are so given to it. The onely thing that can be done , is that there be a through * and vigorous prosecution of the matter, to see who hâve been the authors and actors of this barbarous action , that no man may hâve it to say that any thing is left undone to discover and punish , and that being a proceeding contrary to what was held in the beginning of the great plott, I hope it will hâve a contrary effect too and give better satisfaction. This care is allready begun to be taken with ail imaginable zeale and industry, which is the best end can be made of so bad a matter.

LETTRE iriCCXCVI.

Le Roi d^ Angleterre au Prince (ï Orange. Recommandation,

Windsor, 29 Aprill.

This bearer, Mylord Forfer, has desired me to recommend him to you, that, when there is any occasion, y ou

' tliorough.

1680. Avril.] — 396 —

will employé îiim, as you shall thincke fitt. I am confident you will finde him very faithfull to you , which makes me give him my recommendation ; this being the only businesse of this lytter, I will add no more but that I am truly yours.

For my dearest Nephéw the Prince of Orange.

LETTRE MCCXCVII.

Lord Sunderland au Prince d'Orange. M. de Bourguemaine se rendra à la Haye.

The Marques de Bourgomaine being to goe to Brussele and from there to the Emp"* court, where he is to continue ambassadeur from the King of Spaine , the King thought it might be of greate advantage to the common interest , if he made a step to the Hague , where he might acquaint your Highnesse with ail our affaires as well as those of his master; which would be of use, no man knowing our Court or countrey better then he does. For this reason his Majesty has desired him to make this journey and has commanded me to let your H. know that it is upon his instances that he undertakes it. I am, with ail submission, Sir!

your Highnesses most faithfull and most [humble]

SUNDERLAND

May 2, Whithall.