These two had associated to them the Abbe de Tesieu in all the political parts of their business; for I will not suppose that so reverend an ecclesiastic entered into any other secret.  This Abbe is the Regent’s secretary; and it was chiefly through him that the private treaty had been carried on between his master and the Earl of Stair in the King’s reign.  Whether the priest had stooped at the lure of a cardinal’s hat, or whether he acted the second part by the same orders that he acted the first, I know not.  This is sure, and the British Minister was not the bubble of it—­that whilst he concerted measures on one hand to traverse the Pretender’s designs, he testified on the other all the inclination possible to his service.  A mad fellow who had been an intendant in Normandy, and several other politicians of the lowest form, were at different times taken into this famous Junto.

With these worthy people his Grace of Ormond negotiated; and no care was omitted on his part to keep me out of the secret.  The reason of which, as far as I am able to guess at, shall be explained to you by-and-by.  I might very justly have taken this proceeding ill, and the duke will not be able to find in my whole conduct towards him anything like it; I protest to you very sincerely I was not in the least moved at it.

He advanced not a step in his business with these sham Ministers, and yet imagined that he got daily ground.  I made no progress with the true ones, but I saw it.  These, however, were not our only difficulties.  We lay under another, which came from your side, and which embarrassed us more.  The first hindered us from working forward to our point of view, but the second took all point of view from us.

A paper was sent into England just before the death of the King of France, which had been drawn by me at Chaville in concert with the Dukes of Ormond and Berwick, and with Monsieur de Torcy.  This paper was an answer to the memorial received from thence.  The state of this country was truly represented in it:  the difference was fixed between what had been asked, and what might be expected from France; and upon the whole it was demanded what our friends would do, and what they would have us to do.  The reply to this came through the French Secretary of State to our hands.  They declared themselves unable to say anything till they should see what turn affairs would take on so great an event as the death of the King, the report of which had reached them.

Such a declaration shut our mouths and tied our hands.  I confess I knew neither how to solicit, nor what to solicit; this last message suspending the project on which we had acted before, and which I kept as an instruction constantly before my eyes.  It seemed to me uncertain whether you intended to go on, or whether your design was to stifle, as much as possible, all past transactions; to lie perfectly still; to throw upon the Court the odium of having