England under Charles II. from the Restoration to the Treaty of Nimeguen, 1660-1678: English History from Contemporary Writers
Taylor, W. F.
1889
1674-1675.-The Duke of York enters the pay of France.
Letter in the Secret History of Whitehall, v. i., Lond., , pp. 145-147. Paris, Jan. 28, . | |
My lord,-I cannot think your lordship will so much admire [i.e., wonder] that the duke should suffer himself to engage in a close correspondence with the French Court . . . and to enter into a separate treaty with them .... . I cannot tell at present whether there be any other particulars of this same treaty than what has come within my cognisance; but so much as has .... I as freely communicate. The duke was engaged to stick close to his alliance with France, declining all treaties with those of the House of Austria . . . . to oppose to the utmost of his power the king, his brother, from engaging in any war for the confederates .... doing his utmost for the propagation of the Catholic religion, pursuing measures for dividing of Protestants .... and particularly to raise arms in Scotland and Ireland, | |
135 | and call in French forces in case the king should at any time by any motives whatsoever be influenced to act to the French king's prejudice |
.... all things being thus concluded he received in hand three hundred thousand crowns | |
he was to have a considerable annuity of six hundred thousand crowns .... and six hundred thousand crowns extraordinary; and Jewish bankers were accordingly employed to transmit the money to him from time to time: besides all which the king's confessor promised him a private contribution from the clergy, and others under his influence, of six hundred thousand crowns more. | |