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APPENDIX

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CHAPTER II. OF THE REVIEW.

No I.

Letters from Charles II. to the Duchefs of Orleans; from Monfieur Rouvigny and Monfieur Colbert to the French court; and between Louis XIV. and Charles II. concerning the first fecret money-treaty with France, concluded in the year 1670, by the popish minifters of King Charles, for his declaring himself a Roman Catholic, and the deftruction of Holland; together with a draught of the treaty.

IN

N the Depot des affaires etrangeres at Versailles, I found fome letters of Charles the II. to the Duchefs of Orleans, which mark his personal antipathy to the Dutch. One of them, which could hardly have been expected from a royal hand, follows.

Charles the II. to the Duchefs of Orleans.—Indecent to the Dutch.

Whithall, 27 Feb. 1669.

I AM forry that my Lord Hollis has asked juftice upon Ι

a point of honour that I fhould never have thought of: you know the old faying in England, the more a T. is

fir'd the more it flinkes; and I do not care a T- for any,

thing a Dutch man fayes of me, and fo I thinke you have enough upon this d rty fubject, which nothing but a ftinking Dutchman could have been the cause of: But pray thanke The King my brother and defire him not to take any kinde of notice of it, for fuch idle difcources are not worth his anger or myne.

A paper at Versailles, entitled, " Memoire presenté au "Roy par Monf. de Rouvigny, au retour d'Angleterre,” of which a copy fhall be immediately fubjoined, fhows, that before the triple alliance, Charles had made several attempts to a league with France; and other French papers to be printed in a different part of this appendix, will fhow the fame thing.

Upon entering into the triple alliance, Charles wrote the following apologies to his fifter and Louis the XIV.

Charles the II. to the Duchefs of Orleans. Makes an apo logy for the triple alliance.

I

Whithall, 23 Jan. 1668. Beleeve you will be a little furprised at the treaty I have concluded with the States, the effect of it is to bring Spain to confent to the peace upon the terins the King of France hath avoued he will be content with: So as I have done nothing to prejudice France in this agreement, and they cannot wonder that I provide for myself against any mifchifes this warre may produce, and finding my pro pofitions to France receave fo cold an answer which in effect was as good as a refufal, I thought I had no other way but this to fecure my felfe. If I finde by the letters that my Ld. St. Albans is come away, I do intend to fend fombody elfe into France to incline the King to accept of this peace. In the Depot at Verfailles.

I 2

Tranflation

Tranflation of a Letter from the King of England to Louis the XIV. dated the 3d February, 1668.-To the fame purpose.

SIR, My Brother,

TH

HE prefent pofture of affairs not permitting me to deliberate a long time what part to take, I have chofen that which I thought most conformable to what I owe to the repofe of Chriftendom, ard have joined the States General of the United Provinces to bring about a peace between you and the Catholick King my brother, in which I believe I have not done a disagreeable thing to you, as we have agreed to propose the said peace upon the conditions that you have often expreffed yourself willing to accept, and more expreffly in your last letter of the 27th past, in which (after having been fo good as to communicate to me your intended march into the Franche Comté) you declare, that whatever the fuccefs may be, you ftill were willing to accept the beforementioned conditions; thus facrificing your private interests to the public good. A moft generous fen. timent and worthy of you. I have ordered the Chevalier Trevor, a gentleman of my bed-chamber, whom I have fent to France in quality of my envoy extraordinary, to explain matters to you more at large, and the defire I have to execute the treaty I have made, with every poffible regard for your fatisfaction; to whom, if you please, you will give entire confidence, and more particularly when he affures you of the inviolable friendship which on all occafions I wish to preserve as, &c.

Charles the Second to the Duchefs of Orleans.—Sir John Trevor fent to Paris about the triple alliance.The King's kindness for his fifter.

I

Whithall, 4 Feb. 1668.

Have dispatched this bearer Sir John Trevor into france as my envoyé extraordinary with power to negotiate

the

the peace between the two crownes according to the treaty I lately made with the states of the united provinces, I have given him orders to communicate all things with that freedome to you as I ought to do haveing that kindneffe for you which I cannot in words fufficiently expreffe, I hope he will not finde his worke difficulte, fince I preffe nothing but the conditions of peace which the King of france offred to agree with Spain upcn, Monfr. de S. Laurens will part from hence in two or three dayes, by him I will write to you, and fo I am intierly yours.In the Depot.

more

The triple alliance against France was figned on the 23d Jan. 1668. and on the 24th day thereafter, the Duchess of Orleans and the Duke of Buckingham entered into au intrigue for a fecret treaty with France. On this head there is the following letter to her in the Duke's handwriting at Verfailles.

Tranflation of a Letter of the Duke of Buckingham to the Duchefs of Orleans The beginning of the intrigue of the secret treaty with France in the

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year 1669.

London, 17 Feb. 1668.

OU muft excufe the bearer if he has ftaid here too

You

long, because it has not been his fault. I was defirous to have fent along with him a man capable of treating upon our affair, but that was impoffible, and I own to you that I foresee difficulties enough in finding a person who knows the language, and that is versed in business, in whom I can confide: nevertheless I will do every thing in my power to accomplish it, and shall be very sorry, if not daring to fend Leighton to you, nor capable to find another, I must be reduced to the neceffity of entering into the matter with the Ambassador here, as it will greatly lengthen the affair. -I have been with him as you ordered me, and told him

that

that commanded me to communicate every thing to

you

him, but that I did not dare to do it without the King my master's leave, and for this reafon I defired him to ask your pardon on my part. I have alfo burnt your note, and beg you will believe that the strongest defire I have in this world is to obey you.

For the love of God don't be impatient; and confider that in a place where every measure must be taken to gain the good will of the people, one cannot act with so much difpatch as might be wifhed. In the Depot.

It is obfervable of this letter, that Buckingham avoids an intercourse with the French Ambassador, which had probably been thought expedient by the Duchefs, and this is frequently repeated in the French correfpondence on this head. The reafon was, he wanted to referve all the honour of the treaty to the Duchess and himself.

In the fummer of the year 1668, Charles frequently renewed the attempt to a treaty with France. But France feems to have ftood off, diftrufting his fincerity. On this fubject there is at Verfailles the following letter, and the following memorial from Monfieur Rouvigny.

Tranflation of a letter from Monfieur de Rouvigny to Louis the XIV. dated May 21, 1668.—Charles and the Duke of York make advances to France.

SIRE,

HE King of England and his Highnefs the Duke

TH

of York continue to affure me that they will be extremely glad to enter into the ftricteft union with your Majefty. The first difcourfed me yesterday a long time upon the fubject, and after having spoke of your Majefty with

admiration,

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