the Parliament It is reasonable to think so if Common Report may be allowed for Truth What must that produce any Advantage to the Catholicks Does not the Duke expect to be Re-enstall'd Was not that promis'd by those of Prorogation Are there any Appearances of these Expectations from the Parliament We are here inform'd That the Parliament designs to give Money for the Fleet upon Condition the King will reduce the Number of the French Men of War to the account which they formerly kept with Queen Elizabeth The King here has of late been ill dispos'd and subject to a little Vertigo He has laid a Tax upon the men of the Roab which will furnish a vast Sum without any burthen to the People and he has given out Commissions for great Leavies for the next Campaign I shall not over-charge you with News you are better inform'd from other hands Your Town will shortly be the Scene of News and then I hope you will make me Partaker of the Transactions In the mean time I am SIR Your most Obedient Servant L. S. THe Letters next following were written by Sir William Throgmorton to Mr. Coleman And his general manner of Writing was this he wrote a Letter with ink concerning some ordinary trivial matter as about Persons taking Coach to Travel about the fashion of wearing Crape c. writing the lines at a pretty broad distance leaving a space between for interlining In this space and upon the remaining blank of the Paper he wrote with Juice of Lemmon the Secret Matter which now is here printed The use of such Writing was that if the Letters were intercepted or miscarried nothing would appear to the Casual Reader but the frivolous Matter writ in Ink but when they came to the hands of his Correspondent he heated them at a fire and that made the Lemmon Juice appear and become legible But it falls out in this way that if the Writer do not strictly watch he will sometimes write dry the juice which was in the Pen being spent Also by unwary holding too near the fire the Paper is liable to be singed By such accidents there happen to be several Obliterations and Blanks and Breaks in these Letters which interrupts the Current of the Discourse in some places and thereby part of this Evidence is lost Paris 1. December MR. Pompone return'd me my Paper again yesterday Lect. pro Rege and told me that the French King had seen it and was extreamly satisfied with it that nothing pleas'd him more than the assurance I thereby gave him of my Confidence that the Duke was resolved to continue his kind purposes to him that he desire me that I would assure the Duke that nothing should turn him from this towards him and that he should not rejoyce in any thing more than to be able to help him to be or to see him by any means cheif Factor for our Company for that he very well knew that nothing but that could secure his own Stake there what therefore his Sentiments of Lord Arlington were we might guess and how gladly we Would see him dispos'd of as we desire but that he thought his medling in it would rather hinder than advance our design however that he was willing to receive directions in it from the Duke and that he should alwayes be ready to joyn and work with him in any design he should judge for the good of that common Trade That as for the Dissolution of the Parliament to be he he judged it an admirable nay necessary work but that the time being yet pretty far off and that Spain the Emperour and Holland having chosen the King for the Umpire of the Differences between them and him he thinks he may stay a little in that point till he hears from the King upon his Umpirage and sees what course he intends to take for it but that he absolutely relied upon the Duke for the choosing of proper Sides-men in that business for that he put his only confidence in him for it he told me moreover that the French King would gladly have writ to the Duke but for fear of accidents which might turn it to both their disadvantages but that as he absolutely believed the account I gave him of the Company and Trade and the Dukes great affection to him though I had no Order from the Duke for it because he very well knew how I was concern'd for him for he hoped the Duke would put the same confidence in this that I told him from his part that all this was very fine and head but that for all that to delay working for the dissolution of the Parliament might be dangerous and that therefore I desired him to move the French King to consider of it again that for my part he saw I was an unimployed person in it and had no other design but their good as they were common Traders but that by what insight I had in the Trade I thought they ought to lose no time and so hazard little accidents for so great a good for that at this rate of third hand talking they would never understand one another or effect any thing though they did me great honour to offer me so much trust upon my private credit that yet by that means and general Talk they would never be able to carry on the Trade roundly We parted then with this after a long discourse and many arguments that he would again propose the thing to the French King and that he thought my reasons were so convincing and kind to them that he doubted not but the French King would either himself or order him to write and that in four or five dayes I should hear from him Pray direct your Letter to Mr. Mer at the Corner of the street of St. Benet in the Fobourgh of St. German at Paris and in the bottom and give me sum for you I cannot doubt that I could of my friend here and some others make half an O try you what you can there in case the French King should be backward in that point and that that ingredient should be requisite to carry on the work I spoke with Mounsieur Pompone again of whom I had almost the same story I gave you in my former but that truly had not had opportunity to speak to the King yet alone _____ but that he would and much of that they seem to wonder much they hear nothing from the King yet upon this late business his Factor here has had yet no manner of orders what it concerns them as themselves say to have the Duke their friend in this business but yet I begin to doubt they would willingly engage him to be so through the reason of his own interest and as many fair words and what else you please but pence that that is the reason they were writing yet for fear of coming to close dealing that is the Parliament is set far off and they think cannot possibly
Sabbati 4 to Die Decembriis 1680. I Do Appoint Samuel Heyrick Thomas Dring and John Wickins to Print this Collection of Letters and other Writings Perused by me according to the Order of the Honorable HOUSE of COMMONS and that no other Person presume to Print the same GEO. TREBY A COLLECTION OF LETTERS AND OTHER WRITINGS RELATING TO The Horrid Popish Plott Printed from the ORIGINALS in the Hands OF George Treby Esq Chairman of the COMMITTEE of Secrecy Of the HONOURABLE House of Commons Published by Order of that House LONDON Printed for Samuel Heyrick at Grays-Inn Gate in Holborn Thomas Dring at the Harrow and John Wickins at the White Hart in Fleetstreet MDCLXXXI TO THE READER THE Letters and Writings here publish'd are indubitably authentick They were all except those of which account is given at the end found and seized in Mr. Coleman's House at the time of his Commitment and owned by himself and particularly at his Tryal when several of the Letters written by and to him were produced and read and then mark'd by the Clerk of the Crown with Lect. pro Rege as is here printed in the Margins And they were by his Majesties Order delivered to the Houses of Parliament and thence delivered to the Committee of Secrecy Also the hand-writing of Mr. Coleman the Cardinal of Norfolk Mr. Leyburne Sir William Throgmorton and the late Earle of Barkshire by the name of William Rice have been proved by Testimony of such Witnesses as well knew the same The Letters writ by Mr. Coleman are printed from the Original draughts written by him in French and translated by Order of the Privy Council and such of the Letters sent to Mr. Coleman which were written in French were translated either by the same Order or by Order of one of the Houses of Parliament The Letters writ by Mr. Coleman were read in the House of Commons in this and the two last Parliaments and the rest either read or in substance reported in this and the last Parliament by their Orders In most of these Letters the principal and material words and names of Persons and Places were writ in Cypher but have been exactly decypher'd by the Keys or Tables which were found together with them In several of them there were used Figurative words or words of Cabal the meaning of which is conjectured from the Tenor and Sence of the Correspondence as in the Allegories used between Mr. Coleman and the Nuntio the word Creditors appears to signifie Adversaries Debtors Friends East-India Company the Paliament and Trade and Traffique the administration of publick Affairs So Suit appears to signifie contesting especially in Parliament concerning the Popish Interest definitive Sentence gaining the point in that Contest And in the like Metaphorical Sence are used Process Lawyers Advocates c. The Correspondents in these Letters do seldom use the First Person when they mention themselves or the Second Person when they mean him to whom it is written but they use the Cypher of their Names for the Persons And accordingly they are decypher'd and render'd in the Third Person As in the Cardinals Letters to Mr. Coleman it is written that the Cardinal of Norfolk did so and Mr. Coleman should do thus c. The House of Commons intended and directed Exactness of Truth in this Publication In observance of which not only Mr. Coleman's but the Letters of the Cardinal and others which contain several passages not directly relating to the main Design are publish'd at large so as they stand represented to the World without any other disadvantage than what is inherent in themselves But several Letters of Mr. Leyburn and some of the Letters of others of the lesser Correspondents being stuft with common and ordinary News that News and that only is omitted in this Print Some of the Letters seized at Mr. Coleman's are not decypherable by all or any of the Keys found of which however one is thought fit to be publisht which is inserted towards the end Geo. Treby A LETTER FROM Mr. Coleman to the French King's Confessor June the 29th 1674. I AM commanded to tell you That his Royal Highness Lect. pro Rege my Master is very sensible of the Friendship of his most Christian Majesty which he will endeavour to cultivate very carefully and to give him all possible Assurances of it to take away all Jealousies that his Enemies would raise to the contrary That his Royal Highness has done nothing in any manner whatsoever nor in any place against the Interest of his most Christian Majesty but hath rendred him all the good Offices he hath been capable of That as for recalling the Parliament and touching my Lord A his Highness is altogether of the opinion of his Majesty that neither one nor other is useful but quite contrary very dangerous as well for England as France and that his most Christian Majesty is in great danger of losing the Neutrality of England at the next Session if the Parliament meet as he lost its Alliance by the Peace of Holland at the last because the Lower House and their Friends as the furious Protestants and the Malecontents in the House of Lords have a Design to lessen his Royal Highness and root out the Catholick Religion and they think they cannot make use of any other fitter means to attain their End than to raise the Dutch and to perplex his most Christian Majesty as much as lyes in their Power That his Highness doubts not but it is absolutely necessary for the Interest of his most Christian Majesty and his Royal Highness to use all endeavours to hinder the meeting of the Parliament by perswading his Britannick Majesty that his Greatness his Honour and his Quiet are no less concerned therein than theirs So that if his most Christian Majesty would write freely his thoughts thereupon to his Br. Majesty to forewarn him of the Danger he apprehends from thence and would withal think fit to make him the same generous offers of his Purse to perswade him to dissolve the present Parliament as he hath done to his Highness for the Election of another perhaps he would succeed therein by the Assistance we would give him here As for another Parliament it would be easie enough to get such an one as we wish for the Constitutions of our Parliaments being of such a nature that as there is nothing to be hoped for by the King from an old one so there is nothing to be feared from a new one because such an one at their first meeting must needs assist his Majesty so far as to inable him to acknowledge his Obligations both to his most Christian Majesty and to all the World Now although there is nothing in the World more true or plainer than this some nevertheless carried on either by their particular Interest or by their meer Malice and the hatred they have conceived against those they have so far offended as to despair of their Pardon are
time engag'd in quite different Counsels and Embark'd themselves and Interests upon other Bottoms having declar'd themselves against Popery c. to Dissolve the Parliament simply and without any other step made will be to leave them to govern what way they list which we have reason to suspect will be to the prejudice of France and Catholicks because their late Declarations and Actions have demonstrated to us that they take that for the most Popular way for themselves and the likeliest to keep them in Absolute Power whereas should the Duke get above them after the Tricks they have serv'd him they are not sure he will totally forget the usage he has had at their hands Therefore it imports us now to advance our Interest a little farther by some such Project as I have nam'd before we Dissolve the Parliament or else perhaps we shall but change Masters a Parliament for Ministers and continue still in the same Slavery and Bondage as before But one such step as I have propos'd being well made we may safely see them Dissolv'd and not fear the Ministers but shall be establish'd and stand firm without any Opposition for every body will then come over to us and worship the Rising Sun I have here given you the History of Three Years as short as I could though I am afraid it will seem very long and troublesom to your R. among the Multitude of the Affairs you are engag'd in I have also shewn you the present State of our Case which may by God's Providence and good Conduct be made of such Advantage to God's Church that for my part I can scarce believe my self awake or the thing real when I think of a Prince in such an Age as we live in converted to such a degree of Zeal and Piety as not to regard any thing in the World in comparison of God Almighty's Glory the Salvation of his own Soul and the Conversion of our poor Kingdom which has a long time been oppress'd and miserably harass'd by Heresie and Schism I doubt not but your R. will consider our case and take it to heart and afford us what help you can both with the King of Heaven by your Holy Prayers and with his M. C. M. by that great Credit which you most justly have with him and if ever his Ma's Affairs or your own can ever want the Service of so inconsiderable a Creature as my self you shall never find any body readier to obey your Commands or faithfuller in the execution of them to the best of his Power than 29 Sept. 1675. Your most Humble and most Obedient Servant Father le Chese his Answer From Paris October 23. 1675. SIR THE Letter which you gave your self the trouble to write to me Lec ' pro Reg. came to my hands but the last night I read it with great satisfaction and I assure you that its Length did not make it seem tedious I should be very glad on my part to assist in seconding your good Intentions I will consider of the means to effect it And when I am better informed than I am as yet I will give you an Account to the end I may hold Intelligence with you as you did with my Predecessor I desire you to believe that I will never fail as to my good will for the Service of your Master whom I honour as much as he deserves and that it is with great truth that I am Your most humble and most obedient Servant D. L. C. A Second Letter from Coleman to Father Le Chese SIR I Sent your Reverence a tedious long Letter on our 29th of September to inform you of the progress of Affairs for these two or three years last past I having now again the opportunity of a very sure hand to convey this by I have sent you a Cypher because our Parliament now drawing on I may possibly have occasion to send you something which you may be willing enough to know and may be necessary for us that you should when we may want the conveniency of a Messenger When any thing occurs of more Concern other than which may not be fit to be trusted even to a Cypher alone I will to make such a thing more secure write in Lemmon between the Lines of a Letter which shall have nothing in it visible but what I care not who sees but dried by a warm fire shall discover what is written so that if the Letter comes to your hands and upon drying it any thing appears more han did before you may be sure no body has seen it by the way I will not trouble you with that way of writing but upon special occasions and then I will give you a hint to direct you to look for it by concluding my visible Letter with something of Fire or burning by which mark you may please to know that there is something underneath and how my Letter is to be used to find it out 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 Heresie which has domineered over great part of this Northern World a long time there were never such hopes of Success since the Death of Queen Mary as now in our dayes When God has given us a Prince who is become may I say a Miracle zealous of being the Author and Instrument of so glorious a Work but the opposition we are sure to meet with is also like to be great so that it imports us to get all the Aid and Assistance we can for the Harvest is great and the Labourers but few That which we rely upon most next to God Almighty's Providence and the favour of my Master the Duke is the mighty Mind of his most Christian Majesty whose generous Soul inclines him to great Undertakings which being managed by your Reverence's exemplary Piety and Prudence will certainly make him look upon this as most sutable to himself and best becoming his Power and Thoughts so that I hope you will pardon me if I be very troublesome to you upon this occasion from whom I expect the greatest help we can hope for I must confess I think his most Christian Majesty's Temporal Interest is so much attracted to that of his R. H. which can never be considerable but upon the growth and Advancement of the Catholick Religion that his Ministers cannot give him better Advice even in a Politick sense abstracting from the Considerations of the next World that of our blessed Lord to seek first the Kingdom of Heaven and the Righteousness thereof that all other things may be added unto him That I know his most Christian Majesty has more powerful Motives suggested to him by his own Devotion and your Reverence's Zeal for God's Glory to engage him to afford us the best help he can in our present Circumstances But we are a little unhappy in this that we cannot press his Majesty by his present