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conceive the Imperialists use to pass over the Danube and Saave with, which was, for the speedy conveyance of their carriages, laid over the river in two or three hours, and afterwards as soon removed; not to mention a smith's shop or forge, curiously contrived in a waggon; or another contrivance the foot carry with them to keep off the horse, which, in their manner, may well yield the service of a pike.

There hath been lately driven into Dartmouth, and since taken, a French vessel loaden altögether with images, and knives of a very large proportion, in length, nineteen inches, and in breadth, two inches and an half: what they were designed for, God only knows.

For ESSAY ON MAGISTRACY, See VOL. 1. p. 3.

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SOMERSETSHIRE AND DORSETSHIRE,

On their coming to join his Highness at Exeter, the 15th of November, 1688.

Exeter, printed by J. B. 1688. Folio, containing one page.

THOUGH we know not all your persons, yet we have a catalogue of your names, and remember the character of your worth and interest in your country. You see we are come according to your invitation and our promise. Our duty to God obliges us to protect the Protestant religion, and our love to mankind, your liberties and properties. We expected you, that dwelt so near the place of our landing, would have joined us sooner; not that it is now too late, nor that we want your military assistance so much as your countenance, and presence, to justify our declared pretensions, rather than ac complish our good and gracious designs. Though we have brought both a good fleet, and a good army, to render these kingdoms happy, by rescuing all Protestants from Popery, slavery, and arbitrary power; by restoring them to their rights and properties established by law, and by promoting of peace and trade, which is the soul of government, and the very life-blood of a nation; yet we rely more on the goodness of God and the justice of our cause, than on any buman force and power whatever. Yet, since God is pleased we shall make use of human means, and not expect miracles, for our

preservation and happiness; let us not neglect making use of this gracious opportunity, but with prudence and courage put in execu tion our so honourable purposes. Therefore, gentlemen, friends, and fellow-protestants, we bid you and all your followers most heartily welcome to our court and camp. Let the whole world now judge, if our pretensions are not just, generous, sincere, and above price; since we might have, even a bridge of gold to return back but it is our principle and resolution rather to die in a good cause, than live in a bad one, well knowing that virtue and true honour is its own reward, and the happiness of mankind our great and only design,

THE

LORD CHURCHILL'S LETTER

TO THE KING.

SIR,

SINCE men are seldom suspected of sincerity, when they act con,

trary to their interests; and though my dutiful behaviour to your Majesty, in the worst of times (for which I acknowledge my poor services much over-paid) may not be sufficient to incline you to a charitable interpretation of my actions; yet I hope, the great ad vantage I enjoy under your Majesty, which I can never expect in any other change of government, may reasonably convince your Majesty and the world, that I am acted by a higher principle, when I offer that violence to my inclination, and interest, as to desert your Majesty at a time when your affairs seem to challenge the strictest obedience from all your subjects, much more from one who lies under the greatest personal obligations imaginable to your Majesty. This, Sir, could proceed from nothing but the inviolable dictates of my conscience, and necessary concern for my religion (which no good man can oppose) and with which, I am instructed, nothing ought to come in competition, Heaven knows with what partiality my dutiful opinion of your Majesty hath hitherto represented those un happy designs, which inconsiderate and self-interested men have framed against your Majesty's true interest and the Protestant re ligion. But, as I can no longer join with such to give a pretence by conquest to bring them to effect, so will I always, with the hazard of my life and fortune (so much your Majesty's) endeavour to preserve your royal person and lawful rights with all the tender con. cern and dutiful respect that becomes, Sir,

Your Majesty's most dutiful and

Most obliged subject and servant,

FATHER LA CHAISE'S PROJECT

FOR THE

EXTIRPATION OF HERETICKS.

In a Letter from him to Father Prs, 1688. Quarto, containing four pages.

Worthy friend,

I RECEIVED your's of the twentieth of June last, and am very glad

to hear of your good success, and that our party gains ground so fast in England; but, concerning the question you have put to me, that is, What is the best course to be taken to root out all the hereticks? To this I answer: There are divers ways to do that, but we must consider which is the best to make use of in England. I am sure, you are not ignorant how many thousand hereticks we have, in France, by the power of our dragoons, converted in the space of one year, and, by the doctrine of those booted apostles, turned more in one month, than Christ and his apostles could in ten years. This is a most excellent method, and far excells those of the great preachers and teachers, that have lived since Christ's time. But I have spoken with divers fathers of our society, who do think, that your king is not strong enough to accomplish his design by such kind of force, so that we cannot expect to have our work done in that manner; for the hereticks are too strong in the three kingdoms, and therefore we must seek to convert them by fair means, before we fall upon them with fire, sword, halters, gaols, and other such-like punishments; and therefore I can give you no better advice, than to begin with soft easy means. Wheedle them in by promises of profit and offices of honour, till you have made them dip themselves in treasonable actions against the laws established, and then they are bound to serve for fear. When they have done thus, turn them out, and serve others so, by putting them in their places, and by this way gain as many as you can. And, for the hereticks that are in places of profit and honour, turn them out, or suspend them on pretence of misbehaviour, by which their places are forfeited, and they subject to what judgment you please to give upon them. Then you must form a camp, that must consist of none but catholicks; this will make the hereticks heartless, and conclude all means of relief and recovery is gone. And, lastly, take the short and the best way, which is, to surprise the hereticks on a sudden. And, to encourage the zealous catholicks, let them sacrifice them all, and wash their hands in their blood; which will be an acceptable offering to God. And this was the method I took in France, which hath well, you see, succeeded; but it cost me many threats and promises, before I could bring it thus far, our king being a long time very unwilling,

But at last I got him on the hip; for he had lain with his daughterin-law, for which I would by no means give him absolution, till he had given me an instrument, under his own hand and seal, to sacrifice all the hereticks in one day. Now, as soon as I had my desired commission, I appointed the day when this should be done, and, in the mean time, made ready some thousands of letters, to be sent into all parts of France in one post-night. I was never better pleased, than that time; but the king was affected with some compassion for the Hugonots, because they had been a means to bring him to his crown and throne; and, the longer he was under it, the more sor. rowful he was, often complaining, and desiring me to give him his commission again; but that I would by no persuasion do, advising him to repent of that heinous sin, and also telling him, that the trouble and horror of his spirit did not proceed from any thing of evil in those things that were to be done, but from that great wickedness which he had done; and that he must resolve to undergo the severe burden of a troubled mind for one of them, or the other, and, if he would remain satisfied as it was, his sin being forgiven, there would, in a few days, be a perfect atonement made for it, and he perfectly reconciled to God again. But all this would not pacify him, for the longer the more restless; and therefore I ordered him to retire to his closet, and there spend his time constantly in prayer, without permitting any one to interrupt him; and this was in the morning early, when, the evening following, I was to send away all my letters. I did indeed make the more haste, for fear he should disclose it to any body; yet I had given him a strict charge to keep it to himself, and the very thing, that I most feared, to my great sorrow, came to pass; for, just in the nick of time, the devil, who hath always his instruments at work, sent the Prince of Conde to the court, who asked for the king: he was told, that he was in his closet, and would speak with no man: he impudently answered, That he must and would speak with him; and so went directly to his closet; he being a great peer, no man durst hinder him. And, being come to the king, he soon perceived, by his countenance, that he was under some great trouble of mind, for he looked as if he had been going into the other world immediately. Sir, said he, What is the matter with you? The king at the first refused to tell him, but, he pressing harder upon him, at last the king, with a sorrowful complaint, burst out, and said: I have given Father La Chaise a commission, under my hand, to murder all the Hugonots, in one day, and this evening will the letters be dispatched to all parts, by the post, for the performing it; so that there is but small time left for my Hugonot subjects to live, who have never done me any harm.' Whereupon this cursed rogue answered, Let him give you your commission again.' The king said, How shall I get it out of his hand? For, if I send to him for it, he will refuse to send it.' This devil an swered, If your majesty will give me order, I will quickly make him return it.' The king was soon persuaded, being willing to give ease to his troubled spirit, and said: Well, go then, and break his neck, if he will not give it you, Whereupon, this son

of the devil went to the post house, and asked, if I had not a great number of letters there? and they said, Yes, more than I had sent thither in a whole year before. Then said the prince, By order from the king, you must deliver them all to me:' which they durst not deny, for they knew well enough who he was. And no sooner was he got into the post-house, and had asked these questions, but I came also in after him, to give order to the post-master to give notice to all those under him, in the several parts of the kingdom, that they should take care to deliver my letters with all speed imagin, able. But I was no sooner entered the house, but he gave his servants order to secure the door, and said confidently to me, You must, by order from the king, give me the commission, which you have forced from him.' I told him I had it not about me, but would go and fetch it, thinking to get from him, and so go out of town, and send the contents of those letters another time; but he said, You must give it me; and, if you have it not about you, send somebody to fetch it, or else never expect to go alive out of my hands; for I have an order from the king either to bring it, or break your neck; and I am resolved either to carry back that to him in my hand, or your heart's blood on the point of my sword.' I would have made my escape, but he set his sword to my breast, and said, You must give it me, or die; therefore deliver it, or else this goes through your body.'

So, when I saw nothing else would do, I put my hand in my pocket and gave it him; which he carried immediately to the king, and gave him that and all my letters, which they burnt: and, being all done, the king said, now his heart was at ease. Now how he should be eased by the devil, or so well satisfied with a false joy, I cannot tell: but this I know, that it was a very wicked and ungodly action, as well in his majesty, as the Prince of Conde, and did not a little increase the burthen and danger of his majesty's sins. I soon gave an account of this affair to several fathers of our society, who pro. mised to do their best to prevent the aforesaid prince's doing such another act; which was accordingly done, for, within the space of six days after the damned action, he was poisoned, and well he de served it. The king also did suffer too, but in another fashion, for disclosing the design to the prince, and hearkening to his counsel. And many a time since, when I have had him at confession, I have shook hell about his ears, and made him sigh, fear, and tremble, before I would give him absolution; nay, more than that, I have made him beg for it on his knees, before I would consent to absolve him. By this, I saw that he had still an inclination to me, and was willing to be under my government: so I set the baseness of the action before him, by telling the whole story, and how wicked it was; and that it could not be forgiven, till he had done some good action to balance that, and expiate the crime. Whereupon, he at last asked me what he must do? I told him, that he must root out all the hereticks from his kingdom: so, when he saw there was no rest for him, without doing it, he did again give them all into the power of me and our clergy, under this condition, that we would not

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