Diary of the times of Charles II/Volume 1/Diary continued, January 16 to January 30

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16th.Monsieur Van Beuninghen was with me. He desired me to write to the King to have a care of Italy and Germany, as well as he hath had of Holland.

18th.The Prince dined with me, and told me it would have been impossible for him to have opposed the Alliance, unless the King had appeared, as he had done ; and that nobody durst have done it, for the people would have pulled them in pieces, if any ill accident had happened.

19th.I carried the Prince a letter which pleased him extremely. I dined with the neighbourhood, where there were above a hundred people at dinner.

21st.Monsieur Campricht and Monsieur Huneken dined with me; at night I was with the Prince, he told me that he had read the King's letter at the Committee of Intelligence, and that it was much liked.

26th.I received letters out of England for the Prince. I carried them to him ; he saw plainly that the Parliament would be prorogued but to April, which he was very glad of.[1]

27th.Mr. Ellis, my Lord of Ossory's secretary, dined with me; he told me how slow they were in his Lord's affairs, and he thought he would be fain to quit. The Prince sent for me, and desired me to write again to Lord Sunderland about making alliances with Spain and Oermany, and that he would write to the King. I writ to Sir William Temple.

28th.Mr. Rookwood dined with me. He told me that Mr. Freeman had a mind to come to me, and I gave him all the encouragement I could; he told me of Mynheer Alvin that would be of use to me. At night the Prince told me that Monsieur D'Avaux had sent his equerry into Friesland, to his aunts, and to the Prince, to endeavour to make the alliance with the states of Holland.

29th.Monsieur Van Beuninghen came to me to tell me that it was more necessary to hare an alliance with Spain than ever; that nothing else would hinder the King of France from making war in some parts of Europe this summer; and that if he did, he would certainly make himself master of a great part of it; therefore we must, if we can, keep him from making war: that we are not to be afraid of speaking high, for we might be sure he would not attack us; and it was to no purpose to think of keeping fair with him, for he would never forgive it.

30th.I received letters out of England, and being not well I sent them to the Prince. In the afternoon he came to see me, and told me how he approved of what the King had done, and desired me to write earnestly for the alliance with Spain. I writ to my Lord Sunderland, Mr. Harbord, and Spencer.


  1. "The King," says James, "doubted not by this short prorogation, and having the Parliament always at a call, that he should keep France from invading Holland, and Holland from joining with France, which otherwise that people's aversion to war would have forced the States to consent to. He resolved, therefore, he said, to keep such a countenance in the matter as to persuade the world that the difference between him and his Parliament was not irreconcileable, that he durst meet them, and by that means keep his neighbours so well composed, that in reality he should not need to meet them at all, which was certainly the properest medium in this conjuncture, and what be most desired; for, in the bottom, the King never intended they should then meet to do business, unless the exigency of his foreign allyances forced him to it."—Life of James II., i., 586.