I Am surpriz'd at the unbelief which your Letter in­forms me, has seiz'd some of your Neighbours, who after a publication in Print, that in the Year 1670▪ there was a League concluded between Lewis the Four­teenth, and Charles the Second, for the Introducing of Popery into England, Scotland, and Ireland, by overturning the Fundamental Laws of the Land, have the face still to de­mand, where the so much talk'd of League is, between Lewis the Fourteenth, and James the Second. They complain, say you, that those who had given them hopes of seeing the Original Treaty, have not been as good as their words. To speak the truth, Sir, I find something in this their unreasona­ble proceeding, that at once surprizes and confounds me. I never knew that our Nation had the ill repute in the world of being senseless and stupid: Our behaviour in a case that con­cern'd our Religion and Liberty, has made it conspicuous to all Europe, that we know the importance of the one and the other, and that we are not insensible when such dear In­terests lye at stake. But in the mean time, what will all Eu­rope [Page 2] think, when they hear that some English men do still doubt of a matter so evident, and are resolved to continue so, till they see the Original of that League produc'd, and have li­berty to peruse it. King James say they, has flatly denied that he had made any such League with France. First, By the Mar­quis d' Albyville at the Hague, 5. Octob. 1688. in the Memo­rial he presented to the Deputies of the States General. Secondly, since the Prince of Orange's Declaration had renewed this Suspi­cion against him, the Earl of Sunderland hath lately writ from Holland, that he knew nothing of any such League.

These, forsooth, are the two convincing proofs they relye upon, who will needs doubt of this matter of fact, and who by these doubts against all sense and reason, endeavour to make this truth pass for suspected. Well, suppose for once, that my Lord of Sunderland knew no­thing of it, and if that which he pretends of his continual opposing himself against the Popish party be true, 'tis no strange thing, if they were loath to commit their Secrets to him. But can his ignorance in a case which without impru­dence was not to be communicated to him, because of his great zeal for the Protestant Religion, and the interest of the State, be a sufficient ground for us to call the matter in questi­on? King James the II. positively denies it, in the Memorial pre­sented to the States by the Marquis d' Albyville, and after that in the Answer which a Popish Lord has writ in his name to the Declaration of the Prince of Orange, And one would think all this might pass for a palpable proof, and incontestable con­viction of the falseness of this pretended League. Will you give me leave, Sir, plainly to tell you, what my thoughts are of those upon whom this Declaration of King James makes such an Impression, in spite of the Evidence they may have to the contrary. They seem plainly to me to renounce the use of their Reason, and to be willing that the rest of Man­kind should in complaisance to them, do so likewise. They cannot be ignorant, that King James II. has for many years been of the Jesuits Fraternity, or at least that he has been continually under the conduct of their Councils.

I can't believe their Memory is so short to forget how at the time of his Shipwrack in going for Scotland, he suf­fered many Persons of great Quality to perish, that he might save some of his Fraternity of the Jesuits Order, disguis'd one [Page 3] of them in the Habit of a Valet de chambre, and the other in that of a Cook. They know, that after he had made himself the Head of their Conspiracy against this Kingdom, whilst he was yet only Duke of York, the effect of this his being guided by the Jesuits, proved no less than the total over­throw of all the Laws which he had Sworn to maintain, at his coming to the Crown, as soon as he had got an oppor­tunity to Execute those Projects with Authority, which the Love of his own Quiet, and fear of hazarding all, had made King Charles his Brother to Suspend: And yet after all this they can by no means induce themselves to believe that James II▪ should dare to deny by his Minister, that he was engaged in any League with France. Pray let us take a view of what he did, and therefore durst do, in contempt of the Laws of the Land, which he had Sworn to observe; he sends his Ambassador to Rome, to testifie his Obedience to the Pope. He gives way to a Nuncio from thence, to reside at his Court, in order to advance the Interest of the Church of Rome, which he could not do without being Perjur'd and Cruel; he makes a Jesuit one of his Privy Council, in the Face of all England, yea, of all the World, that is a Person guilty of High Treason, for having set his foot on) English ground, and a Member of that Bloody Society, who be­came liable to the Punishment inflicted on Traitors, because of their Equivocations, Perjuries, and Conspiracies, which are the distinguishing Character of that Fraternity. And yet in spite of all this, we will believe James II. so scrupulous, as not daring to hide, or disguise a Truth, in a case, which the Interest of the Roman Church, and the designs he had For­med for that End with his Jesuits, did oblige him to keep most secret. Well, if it were so indeed, we must suppose it was a very difficult thing for that Prince to obtain a parti­cular dispensation of the Pope, for this concealing of the Truth, if the general one, he had already obtain'd of him, for breaking his Coronation Oath, as made to Hereticks, would not serve the turn.

But pray, Sir, is not this a willful hoodwinking of our selves to lay any stress upon this Negation of James II. whilest we have a certain knowledg that there always was a strict League between the Duke of York and the French King; and to assure us, that this League has continued since [Page 4] the Duke of York has been advanced to the Crown of Eng­land. We have an Authentick Declaration of the French Am­bassadour at the Hague very express to that purpose. I say we cannot in the least doubt, but that there always was a strict League between the Duke of York and the French King. To be convinced of this, we need only to cast an Eye upon the War of Holland in 1670. 'Tis certainly known 'twas a War of Religion undertaken meerly for the propagation of Popery. The French▪ Minister manifested plainly in his Speech to the Emperours Council, which has been since Prin­ted in French, that the Hollanders being Hereticks, who had forsaken their God, all good Christians are bound to joyn and unite to extirpate them, and to implore Gods Blessing up­on so good a Work. But how cunningly did they proceed in the Dukes Cabal, to dissemble the part they had in such a Design. 1. They reformed the Cabinet Council, and turn'd at once out of the Committee for Forreign Affairs, Prince Rupert, the Duke of Ormond, the Lord Keeper, Trevor the first Se­cretary of State, that was ever kept out of a Commission of that nature. 2. They advised His Majesty to Prorogue the Parliament according to the French Kings desire. 3. They sought a Quarrel against the Dutch, by sending a Yatch with or­der to Sail through the Dutch Fleet, and require striking to His Majesties Flag: Although the Dutch Fleet was then at Anchor, not far from their own Coast. 4. They fell upon the Dutch Fleet of Smyrna without any Declaration of War, when the Dutch Ambassadours had offerred all possible satisfaction to the King upon this affected Quarrel. 5. The English Fleet fought for the French so bravely, and interprised themselves between the French and the Dutch with so good a success, that when the English Fleet, the Strength of our Nation, which was to be lessen'd for the execution of their Designes, was reduced into a sad condition, the French Squadron came off as fresh and as entire as when they first Sailed out of their Ports. 6. When they sent the Duke of Buckingham and my Lord Arlington into Holland, they gave their instructions for the insisting in the behalf of the French, altho' the second head of the French demands was upon a publick Exercise of the Roman Religion in the Ʋnited Provinces, the Church to be divided, and the Romish Priests to have a maintainance out of the Publick Revenue.

[Page 5] After this we shall do well to make some reflections upon Coleman's Letters to Sir W. Throgmorton, the Duke of York's Agent at the Court of France. See how he expresses him­self in one of them dated February, 1674/5. ‘For you know well, that when the Duke comes to be Master of our Af­fairs, the King of France will have reason to promise himself all things that he can desire. For, according to the mind of the Duke, the Interest of the King of Eng­land, the King of France, and his own, are so close bound up together, that it is impossible to separate them, the one from the other, without ruine to all three; but being joined, they must notwithstanding all opposition, become invincible.’ Those who knew nothing of the League con­cluded between England and France in the Year 1670. were extreamly at a loss what to make of those words of Coleman, words so express and precise, as nothing could be said more. But they who have seen the extract of that League, published by the Abbot Primi, easily conceive, that they referred to the secret League of 1670. and that the rea­son why the English Court has been so industrious to main­tain and cultivate the Union with France, was only in order to preserve those hidden Interests, they judged in­separable, though the true Interest of the State was indeed diametrically opposite to the entertaining any Union with a Crown, all whose designs were level'd at the ruine of England and the Protestant Religion.

We find much the same stile in a Letter of Father la Chaise, Jesuit and Confessor to Lewis the XIV. to Cole­man. He saith, Page 110. ‘That the French King con­siders his own Interest, and the Interest of the Duke of York, as one and the same thing; and that if the Duke would undertake to Dissolve the Parliament, the French King would assist him, with his Power and Purse, to procure such an one afterwards, as might be favour­able to their designs.’ Now I should think, that when one offers ones Power and Purse to a Prince, that this supposes a Treaty with him, and that Prudence would not permit a King to write to a Prince to employ his In­terest for Dissolving a Parliament of England, without knowing himself engaged in the greatest confidence with him. Some, it may be, will imagine that this was only an ordinary Treaty. But Coleman has exprest him­self [Page 6] so clearly in the Case, that he has not left us room to mistake him. See what he writes to Father la Chaise, ‘We have here a mighty work upon our hands, no less than the Conversion of three Kingdoms, and by that perhaps the subduing of a Pestilent Heresse, which has do­mineer'd over a great part of the Northern World a long time. There were never such hopes of Success, since the Death of Queen Mary, as now in our days, when God has given us a Prince, who is become (may I say to a Miracle) zealous of being the Author and Instrument of so glorious a work, pag. 118. collect. of Letters.’ This was the grand design carried on in 1675, which makes it evident that the Treaty made by the Dutchess of Orleans was not for­got, but that the same was inviolably observ'd, and stuck to. Had we the other Letters of Coleman and Father la Chaise, as well as of the rest of the Agents of the English Court, which Coleman declar'd were still in White-Hall, when he was examin'd, where the rest of these Letters were, it would be easie to judge, that matters have been still car­ried on in the same strain, between the Duke of York and the French King. There are Men enough that know, that the choice was made of the Letters that were to be pub­lished: they eclips'd and suppress'd those, wherein the Court and Duke of York were more particularly concern'd. But without putting our selves to the trouble of guessing, we have but too many Evidences, to leave us the least Sha­dow of a Doubt. Can we in England forget the things that past, at the time, when the Popish Plot was disco­vered by Oates, Bedlow, Prince, Everard, Smith, &c? Can we forget the indefatigable Pains the Duke of York took, to turn the Conspiracy, in which he was so deeply concerned, upon the Presbyterians; as appears from Dangerfield's Discovery, published Anno Domini 1678. Can we forego the remembrance of those remarkable E­vents which happened soon after the Assassination of Sir Edmondbury Godfrey, the Sham put upon Mr. Roderick Mansell, the Depositions of William Lewis and Laurence Moubray: The Oaths of Secrecy and the Litany of the Papists, publish'd by Robert Bolron? Can we forget the Con­spiracy of the Papists in Ireland, to subject that Kingdom to the French King, as long as we have before our Eyes the Narra­tive of Thomas Sampson Printed 1680. and the Depositi­ons of Mac-namara, Fitzgerald and Nash, besides the Pa­pers, [Page 7] about the same Subject, sent in 1680. by the Duke of Ormond to the Court. All these particulars appeared so evident to the Parliaments of Westminster and Oxford, that they judged it impossible to reserve for the Duke of York any hopes of his Succession to the Crown; and that the Court Party and Favourers of the Duke, would have thought themselves to have gain'd much, if the Duke, who was lookt upon as the Author of all these Intriegues might only have retain'd the Title of King, with leaving the whole Administration of the Government to the Prince of Orange.

We Englishmen, having since that, been so good natur'd, as to admit the Duke to the Crown, after the Death of King Charles II. whom the Papists had conspir'd to Mur­ther, on purpose to make place for the Duke: Let any one judge whether there be any likelihood, he should have renounced his League with France, which he had always lookt upon as absolutely necessary for the making his designs to bear: notwitstanding a publick Neutrality that was to be heldwith France, as he was Guarantee of the Trea­ty of Nimeguen. After all this, a Man must have lost both Sense and Memory to suppose that he broke this Treaty since his coming to the Crown. Moreover we have seen James II. an unconcern'd spectator of Lewis XIV. seizing of Orange, and of the Desolation of his Son-in­Law's Subjects, who were forced to embrace the Romish Religion, by the Violence of Dragoons. All Europe have seen the accomodation of the Business of Bantam suspen­ded, without any other Reason, but the design of having a Pretence in reserve to break with the Hollanders; as also there were equal pains taken in 1670, to find out a plau­sible one, to unite with France, and to ruine a State, which endeavour'd to preserve the Liberty of Europe, and the Pro­testant Religion. We have seen JAMES II. affording the Algerines a free retreat into his Havens, and the Convoy of his Frigats, that they might safely carry away with them the Dutch and French Protestants they had taken be­tween England and Holland. We have seen JAMES II. take the Government of Ireland from the Earl of Claren­don, to put it into the hands of the Earl of Tyrconnel, to the end he might new model the Army, by putting out [Page 8] Protestants, and supplying their Places with Papists, as being more suited to carry on his Designs against Eng­land and Ireland. We have seen him send Prince George into Denmark, to hinder that Crown from joining with the Protestant Princes, and from quitting his En­gagements with France, whose Assistance and Power were of absolute necessity to him. And within his own Kingdom, what is it he hath not attempted, to ad­vance his Designs and overthrow the Government in con­formity to his Treaty with France, and the Directions of Barillon, his Ambassador? He has put all places of Strength into the Hands of Papists; he has kept on foot a numerous Army, to suppress all those who might op­pose his Designs; he has, against Law, established an High Commission-Court for Ecclesiastical Affairs, to violate the Rights of the Clergy and the Universities. He has intro­duced Popish Bishops into England: He has allowed a free exercise of that Religion in all Places: All which things he durst never have undertaken so openly, and with so high a Hand, had he not been supported with Hopes, de­rived from the Treaty he had with Lewis XIV. whose Arms he lookt upon as able to bring about the Designs he had projected so long since.

It seems to me, that these Proceedings are an abundant proof, that he was engaged in a League with France: But beyond all this, behold here another Argument, which cannot be gain-said:

The French Ambassadour, the Count d' Avaux, was a publick Person at the Hague, he spoke, with order from the King his Master, and that in the Assembly of the States General; he there peremptorily declares the Ninth of September last, That there was an Alliance be­tween the King his Master and James the Second; he makes use of this League to interpose himself, by his Ma­ster's Command, upon an occasion; when Lewis XIV. be­liev'd, that the States were forming some Enterprise a­gainst James the Second: He delivers his Memorial to the States, and communicates it to the rest of the Am­bassadors, at the Hague, Sept. the 9th. The Memorial was conceiv'd in these Terms:

Than which, as it seems to me, nothing can be said more plain and express. What does the English Embassador hereupon? Some days after he presents a Memorial to the Estates, and this plainly of concert with the French Embassador, because this his second Memorial did refer to that which the French Em­bassador Presented; and contents himself to assure them, that James the Second had no Treaty with France, but what was made Publick. See here the Memorial of the Marquiss de Albyville.

This Memorial pleasured the World with a fit of Laugh­ter, to see it so contrary to the Memorial of the French Embassador, notwithstanding he was very well acquainted with the Contents of the Memorial presented be­fore by the Count de Avaux. But for all that, both the Marquiss de Albyville, and those who had dictated the French Memorials, spake nothing but the Truth. The Mar­quiss [Page 11] maintains, in the Name of the King, that there was no Treaty between England and France, but those that are in Point; the Count de Avaux Asserts, that Lewis the Fourteenth is engaged in an Alliance with James the Second, and both of them speak true. The Count de Avaux speaks with respect to the Treaty of 1670. betwixt Charles the Second and Lewis the Fourteenth, and supposes, as indeed it cannot be doubted, that the said Treaty has con­tinued ever since, with design to destroy England and the Protesant Religion, which at first gave birth to the said League. He builds upon this Principle, That the D. of York, who was the great Promoter of it, and who, whilst he was in that Station, acted in Conformity with the said secret Treaty, had sufficiently ratified the same since his coming to the Crown; which Promotion of his was therefore so Passio­nately desired, to the end he might more vigorously execute the said Treaty, which Charles II. did not, for fear of troubling his own Repose. The Marquiss de Albyville, knowing that this Treaty had been Printed at Paris 1682. in the History of the War of Holland by the Abbot Primi, but soon after supprest at the Instances of my Lord Preston, supposed he might say with a good Conscience, with respect to the self-same Treaty, That his Master had no Treaty with France, but what was in Print. So that the seeming Contradiction va­nisheth, as soon as we consider the Persons that speak. The one is the Minister of Lewis XIV. who is not at all careful to husband the Interests of his Allies, and who thinks he may speak whatsoever pleases him, as he thinks he can com­pass whatsoever he wills, and accordingly declares the Truth with a great deal of Frankness and Liberty: The other is the Minister of James II. whom the Society of the Jesuits and their Maxims, have model'd for disguising the Truth; and therefore dares not expose it, but under covert of an Equivocation; by which means, if he owns that which is true, he reserves himself always the means, and the right of denying it, when the owning of it might prove a preju­dice to him.

But not to make any further Enlargement here upon the Jesuitical Character, of which the Marquess d' Al­byville had a competent share, without which Qualifi­cation he would scarcely have been made choice of for an Extraordinary Envoy: For my part, I cannot see how any thing could more evidently confirm the Truth, [Page 12] than the foresaid Memorial of the Count d' Avaux, where­in he positively declares, that there was an Alliance between Lewis XIV. and James II. And I cannot see, how the most resolved Prejudice can object ought against this Proof, besides these Three Things, which are e­qually ridiculous:

The First is, That King James II. is not bound to make good the Words of a French Ambassador▪ spoke at ran­dom.

Secondly, That the Reason why the English Ambassador did not more punctually contradict the French Memorial, proves only at the most, That he was willing enough to see the Hollanders affrighted with the Apprehension of this Secret Alliance between both those Kings, though he did not think fitting to confirm the Belief of that League, by the Memorial he presented to the States General the 5th. of October; whence it follows, That it may be there was no such League at all, notwithstanding the French Ambassador thought necessary to advance such a thing, contrary to Truth.

The Third, is, That if the Marquiss d' Albyville, were Guilty of some Fault on this occasion, that it is not just to lay the blame of it upon his Master; and the rather, because he was never look'd upon as a ve­ry able, and refin'd Minister.

But in answer to these, First, The World knows, That the Memorial of the French Ambassador, was contrived at Paris, with the Concurrence of Mr. Skelton, the Ambassador of James II. So that we cannot pretend, that this Declaration was made by the French King, without knowledge of the K. of England. And tho Mr. Skelton, upon his return from France, was committed to the Tower, for having had a hand in that Memorial, yet we know this was only a Pretext, being set at Liberty a few days after, and made Colonel of a Regiment; and not long after, returning thither, not as a Prisoner, but to be the Governour of it: All which makes it as clear as the Sun, that this was only a feigned Im­prisonment, and not the Punishment of an unfaithful discharge of a Trust. 2dly, I can no way conceive, how any can ima­gine, that the French K. should take the Liberty peremptorily [Page 13] to assert an Alliance, when there was nothing at all of it, only because he thought it was his Interest so to do; and that at the same time it was not permitted to James II. to dissem­ble, in a Case where such a Dissimulation was of use to him. But I go further, and say, That for to discover the Mystery of the affected Dissimulation of the English Ambassador about the League with France, we need only to examine the Behaviour of James II. after that Declaration of the French Ambassador to the States General. If the French Ambassador, or the King his Master, had advanced an Un­truth, in declaring that there was an Alliance between Lewis XIV. and James II. which could not be without an Infraction of the Treaty of Nimeguen, of which the King of England was declared Guarantee, was it not of absolute necessity for K. James to disavow that Untruth, as soon as he was inform'd what had past at the Hague? Ought he not to have made Reparation of the Fault the Marquess d' Albyville had committed, by ordering him to explain himself fully about the false Supposal of the French Ambas­sador? Was it not visible, that his Honour was extreamly concern'd in the Declaration of France; and that it was contrary to his Word given to the States General, after his arrival to the Crown, and which he had so often since re­newed to their Ambassador in Ordinary? Was it not na­tural for him to express himself plainly, instead of suppres­sing the Fact, as it was done in the English Gazette, pub­lished by the Authority of the Court, and reviewed by his Ministers; where we find indeed the Memorial of the Marquess d' Albyville, given into the States the 5th of October, but not a word of the Memorial of the Count d' Avaux, presented before. Who sees not that this his Silence, after the Declaration of the French Ambas­sador, is an evident and solid Conviction of the Truth of the League between him and France? For any one to an­swer the Objection, by saying, that K. James II. did dis­avow the thing openly, in his Answer to the Prince of Orange's Declaration, is to say nothing that may satisfy a Man of Reason. Every Thing hath its Time; a Man that holds his peace, when he ought to speak in his own Justifi­cation, is presum'd to be convict of the Thing laid to his Charge. 'Tis a Maxim of the Civil Law, that to evident Presumption, Proofs must be oppos'd: Wherefore in the Case he was indispensibly obliged to deny the Fact whereof he was accused, and to refute it, at that Time, and in those Circumstances; for that Opportunity being once let slip, [Page 14] his denying cannot be look'd upon otherwise, than as the Effect of Fears, and extream Necessity, which often ob­liges Men to disguise and deny the Truth. And surely if we only please to cast an Eye upon the Design he had of de­livering Portsmouth to the French, and suffering several of their Regiments to take possession of it; which Affair took up much of the Time of the Secret Council in October and November 1687. we cannot with any Reason doubt of the Truth of this Secret League between Lewis XIV, and James II. The Thing was not so secretly carried, but that the different Advices given thereupon, came to the know­ledg of some, as well as the Names of the Authors of them, and the Reason which hindred the King from fol­lowing them in that Circumstance. The Hopes which he had of getting a Parliament to his mind, that is, such an one as might overthrow the Laws of the Government, that was opposite to Popery and Tyranny, was the chief Rea­son, as is well known to many Persons of Quality, that hindred him from taking a Resolution to make us feel the Effects of that League, before it was declared in Publick.

Let us also cast an Eye upon all the Proceedings of James II. till his retiring to France, as well as upon those of Lewis XIV, in favour of him, and we shall find them all but so many Effects and Consequences of the Secret League. Lewis XIV, always influenc'd the Court of England in the Time of Charles II, during whose Reign England could not but be sensible of the Effects of the Secret Treaty of 1670, Memorandum, about the Pro­position made to the States by the English Am­bassador, 1672. by the War against the Hollander, by the frequent Dissolutions of her Parliaments, and at length saw the whole Mystery laid open, in the Conspiracy of Coleman, Secretary to the Duke of York, who acted nothing without express Order of his Master. Since this, it is become no­torious to all, that Charles II. who went under the Name of a Protestant, and who, notwithstanding his outward Profession, did, by Secret Treaties, design the overthrow of the Protestant Religion within his three Kingdoms, died a profest Papist: And after all this, cannot we perswade our selves to believe that James II. a declared Papist, who had a Nuncio to prompt him, and a Jesuit to counsel him, did confirm or renew a Treaty with Lewis XIV, for the De­struction of the Protestant Religion in the Kingdom, espe­cially when all his three Kindoms are Witness, that for the advancing of Popery, he has neither had any regard to the Laws of the Land, nor to the Oaths he had taken to pre­serve them. Thus much I assert boldly, that since it can­not [Page 15] be deny'd, but that there was a Secret Treaty betwixt Lewis XIV, and James II, we can less doubt, but that the End and Aim of the Treaty, was the Ruin of the Prote­stant Religion.

1. We must needs conclude so from the Secret Treaty manag'd by the Dutchess of Orleans, between Charles II. and Lewis XIV. published by Abbot Primi, in his History of the War with Holland, with priviledg of the French King. This Treaty expresly tells us, that the French King did promise Charles II. to subject his Parliament to him, and to re-establish the Romish Religion in his Kingdoms. We may easily guess whe­ther these Things could be accomplish'd any other way than by Force of Arms, that is, by the Violence and Cruelty of his Dragoons.

2. Who is, so blind as not to see that K. Charles II. had ever since that Treaty, cast about to furnish himself with Foreign Force to enslave his Subjects to his Arbitrary Power? Those who find difficulty to believe this, need only to consider the Secret Treaty he had made with Spain, who was to furnish him with 8000 Men upon occa­sion; and it was to assure himself of their good Service, that Charles II. demanded Mony of his Parliament in 1680.

3. Can we be so wilful, as not to trace the Current of the Design throughout all Coleman's Letters, which contain nothing else but the Conspiracy of the Jesuits and Duke of York, against the Government, and the Protestant Religion.

4. After that James II. came to the Crown, notwithstanding the Just Oppositions of the Commons in the Westminster and Oxford Parliaments, who easily foresaw all that is since come to pass; did not he give undoubted Evidence, that he still followed the same Measures, when after the Defeat of Monmouth, he declared to the Parliament, that for Time to come, he would make use of Popish Officers, as well as keep an Army on foot, contrary to the Laws?

5. Have we not seen the whole bottom of his Designs unravell'd, by the Care he took to fill that Army with Irish Papists at the same time that he disbanded all that Prote­stant Army and Souldiers that served him in Ireland, that he might always have an Ar­my at hand in that Kingdom for to invade England. It appears beyond a possibility of doubting, that all these Proceedings were only founded on the Continuation of a Design, which could never be executed without a secret League with France, and without a very express Assurance of being vigorously supported from thence when the nick of time should come. I do not here set down only Supposals and Guesses in the Air, when I assert that this League was to prove of most fatal Consequence to the Go­vernment and Protestant Religion. For, pray tell me what else can be supposed from a Union with Lewis XIV, when we have seen him, after having violated the Laws of his Kingdom, and the Oaths he had taken, exercising so outragious and barbarous a Cruelty against his own Protestant Subjects, as well as against those of his Neighbours in Piedmont, and the Principality of Orange. Give me leave to make one other Reflecti­on more, viz. That it is altogether incredible, if James II had not been strictly leagued with France by such a League as they were pleased to term Sacred, but that he must have acted after another manner in favour of the Prince of Orange, whose Sub­jects were opprest by the French King, and his Principality ravaged, in order to the rooting out of the Protestant Religion there. His soft way of treating this matter with the Court of France was so publick a Testimony of the Intelligence he held with Lewis about destroying the Protestant Religion, that we must of force conclude that James II. was conscious to a Treaty which was of greater Concern to him, than all the Obliga­tions of Blood or Alliance, which ought otherwise to have made him the Protector of the Prince of Orange, his Nephew and Son-in-Law, and consequently the Husband of the Presumptive Heiress of the Kingdom. I only touch at these Points, and I pass over many others that evince the same Truth. As for those affected doubts which you tell me do remain still in the Minds of some of your Friends; they seem to me to be of the nature of those that troubled the Pharisees, and of whom we say, that seeing they see and do not perceive, because they are resolved not to yield to the most clear and incontestable Truths. I bewail their Condition who so wilfully blind and hoodwink themselves, and I wish they may never be undeceived if nothing less will do it than by the French King's sending over his booted Apostles with the Original of the League he has with James II into England, as he has already done into Ireland, of which I pre­sume by this time, neither Papist nor Protestant has the least doubt.