The French ambassador in England, Colbert, had reported that Charles had sent Marsilly “to draw the Swisses into the Triple League” against France.  Montague had tried to reassure Monsieur (Charles’s brother-in-law), but was himself entirely perplexed.  As Monsieur’s wife, Charles’s sister, was working with Charles for the secret treaty with Louis, the State and family politics were clearly in a knot.  Meanwhile, the Spanish ambassador kept pressing Montague to interfere in favor of Marsilly.  After Montague’s puzzled note had been read to the English Foreign Committee on May 23, Arlington offered explanations.  Marsilly came to England, he said, when Charles was entering into negotiations for peace with Holland, and when France seemed likely to oppose the peace.  No proposition was made to him or by him.  Peace being made, Marsilly was given money to take him out of the country.  He wanted the King to renew his alliance with the Swiss cantons, but was told that the cantons must first expel the regicides of Charles I. He undertook to arrange this, and some eight months later came back to England.  “He was coldly used, and I was complained of for not using so important a man well enough.”

[1] Cf.  Le Secret du Roi, by the Duc de Broglie.

As we saw, Marsilly expressed the most effusive gratitude to Arlington, which does not suggest cold usage.  Arlington told the complainers that Marsilly was “another man’s spy,” what man’s, Dutch, Spanish, or even French, he does not explain.  So Charles gave Marsilly money to go away.  He was never trusted with anything but the expulsion of the regicides from Switzerland.  Arlington was ordered by Charles to write a letter thanking Balthazar for his good offices.

These explanations by Arlington do not tally with Marsilly’s communications to him, as cited at the beginning of this inquiry.  Nothing is said in these about getting the regicides of Charles I. out of Switzerland:  the paper is entirely concerned with bringing the Protestant Cantons into anti-French League with England, Holland, Spain, and even Sweden.  On the other hand, Arlington’s acknowledged letter to Balthazar, carried by Marsilly, may be the “commission” of which Marsilly boasted.  In any case, on June 2, Charles gave Colbert, the French ambassador, an audience, turning even the Duke of York out of the room.  He then repeated to Colbert the explanations of Arlington, already cited, and Arlington, in a separate interview, corroborated Charles.  So Colbert wrote to Louis (June 3, 1669); but to de Lyonne, on the same day, “I trust that you will extract from Marsilly much matter for the King’s service.  It seemed to me that milord d’Arlington was uneasy about it [en avait de l’inquitetude]. . . .  There is here in England one Martin” (Eustace Dauger), “who has been that wretch’s valet, and who left him discontent.”  Colbert then proposes to examine Martin, who may know a good deal, and to send him into France.  On June 10, Colbert writes to Louis that he expects to see Martin.[1]