about the king's person, that he was in a manner A.D. 1670. absolute there, and directed the resolutions of the council. Sir Thomas Clifford was the chief person in the duke's confidence, and was entrusted with the most secret designs of the court."* When he made the declaration before mentioned, "that we must have another war with the Dutch," he spoke the sentiments and resolutions of the Duke of York and the popish faction, who now began to be more open in their proceedings, though from the very time of the Restoration they had been engaged in the same pursuit.

* Rapin.

A.D. 1670.

CHAPTER X.

[Intrigues with France.-The two Secret Treaties.-Corruption of the members of the Cabal Administration.] Temper of the Court.-Account of the Cabal.-Lord Ashley's advice to the King. Discovers the King's conversion to Popery.-Lord Rochester.-Proceedings of the Parliament.-Shutting up of the Exchequer opposed by Lord Ashley.-His reasons against it, and letter to Mr. Locke.-Declaration of Indulgence.War declared against the Dutch.

[THAT disgraceful intrigue was now darkly progressing, which has rendered the reign of Charles the Second the most inglorious in our annals. Even before the triple alliance, Charles, as appears from a letter from Rouvigny to Louis, published by Sir John Dalrymple, had solicited a private treaty with France. The attempt was now renewed with more success. James the Second, in his autobiography printed in the Macpherson papers, describes it thus: "The Duke (himself) speaks of religion to the king, and finds him resolved to be a catholic. The king appoints

a private meeting with Lord Arundel, Lord Ar- A.D. 1670. lington, and Sir Thomas Clifford, at the duke's closet, to advise on the methods to advance the catholic religion in his kingdoms. They met on 25th of January (1669). The king declared his mind in matters of religion with great zeal to the duke and other three persons at this private meeting. The result of the consultation was, that the work should be done in conjunction with France. The Lord Arundel was accordingly sent to treat with the French king; and the treaty was concluded the beginning of the year 1670. The French king was to give two hundred thousand pounds a year. The Duke of Buckingham seeks to support himself by favour of Madame, with whom he manages a treaty with France. He sent over Sir Ellis Leighton to treat with her. Neither the duke nor Arlington knew anything of this treaty. The duke, after Leighton's return, had an account of it from himself.

"In the mean time, the king kept the secret of his agreement with France, and suffered a mock treaty to go on that he might the better cover the real one; of which neither Madame nor the Duke of Buckingham had the least knowledge. Buckingham's chief drift was to keep himself at the

A.D. 1670. head of the ministry. This management of the

mock treaty was kept a secret to the Duke of York and Arlington."

Sir John Dalrymple has printed this secret treaty from the draft in the depôt at Versailles. Charles was to have two hundred thousand pounds for declaring himself a catholic, and an annual subsidy of eight hundred thousand pounds during the projected Dutch war; and as the fulfilment of the articles would naturally excite the opposition of his subjects, Louis engaged to assist him with all his forces" till the rebellion should be ended."+

The infamy of this transaction attaches exclusively to Charles, the Duke of York, and Lord Arlington; but the subsequent conduct of Buckingham, Lauderdale, and Ashley was scarcely less criminal. The mock treaty, spoken of by James, was a contrivance by which Charles proposed to obtain the support of those of his ministers whom he could not induce to join him in his designs for the introduction of the catholic religion, for all the articles of the treaty which did not involve that object. The result showed that he had not over-estimated their compliance. The original

* Macpherson, vol. i. p. 51.

+ Dalrymple, p. 54.

conspirators were delighted by a proposition from A.D. 1670. Buckingham that he should be sent into France to try to bring about an alliance between the French and English courts. The offer was immediately accepted, and the duke communicated his design to Lords Lauderdale and Ashley; the former agreed to it, but Ashley asked time to consider.

Lord Ashley's scruples do not seem to have been very obstinate. A very few days after Buckingham's first proposition, we find Colbert writing to his master, that Buckingham had the direction of Ashley Cooper, who had been raised by him; and immediately afterwards the duke departed on his embassy. Upon his return, Lauderdale, Ashley, and the Duke of York were appointed commissioners for conducting this traité simulé, as it is styled by Colbert. The treaty now concluded differed from the first only by the omission of the clause by which Charles had engaged to declare himself a catholic, and the transfer of the price of his conversion to the first year's subsidy for the Dutch war. The interest and honour of the country, and the security of her institutions, were as unhesitatingly sacrificed by these commissioners as they had been by