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J. Mynde je.

The Monument of K.JAMES II.Erected in y Chappel of the Scotch College at Paris in the year 1703.

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vices but of one fort: He was ftill wandering from one amour Will. III. to another, yet he had a real fenfe of fin, and was afhamed of 1701. it: But priefts know how to engage princes more intirely into their interefts, by making them compound for their fins, by a great zeal for holy church, as they call it. In a word, if it had not been for his Popery, he would have been, if not a great, yet a good prince. Burnet says, that by what he once knew of him, and by what he faw him afterwards carried to, he grew more confirmed in the very bad opinion which he was always apt to have, of the intrigues of the Popish clergy, and of the confeffors of kings. King James was undone by them, and was their martyr, fo that they ought to bear the chief load of all the errors of his inglorious reign, and of its fatal catastrophe. As he was dying, he faid nothing concerning the legitimacy of his fon; on which fome made fevere remarks; while others thought, that having spoke so often of it before, he might not reflect on the fitnefs of faying any thing concerning it in his laft extremity. He recommended to him firmness in his religion, and juftice in his government, if ever he should come to reign. He faid, that, by his practice, he recommended Chriftian forgiveness to him, for he heartily forgave both the prince of Orange and the emperor. The naming of the emperor, it was believed, had been suggested to him by the French, in order to render the emperor odious to all thofe of his religion.

Upon his death it was debated in the French council what was fit to be done, with relation to his pretended fon, whom the king had promised him to acknowledge as king of EngJand, at the persuasion of madam Maintenon, whom king James's queen had engaged for that purpose. The miniftry advised the French king to be paffive, to let him aflume what title he pleased; but that, for fome time at least, his majesty should not declare himself. That this might be fome reftraint on king William, whereas a prefent declaration muft precipitate a rupture. But the Dauphin interpofed with some heat for the prefent owning him king. He thought the king was bound in honour to do it: That he was of the blood, and was driven away on the account of his religion. Upon this, orders were given to proclaim him at St. Germain's. His own court, it feems, was going about it, when a difficulty, propofed by the earl of Middleton, put a stop to it. He apprehended, that it would look very strange, and might provoke the court of France, if, among the titles, that of France should be ufed; and it might difguft their party in England,

Will.III. England, if it were omitted; So that piece of ceremony was not performed (d).

1701.

(d) The circumftances of his laft illness and death, and the proclaiming the Pretender king, will beft appear from the following extracts or the earl of Manchester's letters.

To Mr. Blathwayt.

Soon

"He exhorted my lord Middle"ton, and the rest of his Pro"testant servants, to embrace "the Romish religion, and de"fired the p. prince of Wales "to keep his faith, fhewing "him of how little value a 66 crown was in comparison to "his falvation. In fhort he "continued long on this fub'ject, and told the curate of "St.

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St. Germain's, that he would "be buried in their church, "with only an infcription, "J. K. of England.

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The

physicians cannot tell what "his distemper is. They think "that an impofthume is broke, "for a great deal of corruption "and blood comes continually "from him. Yesterday he had "another fit, which lafted an "hour. The French king and "the whole court have been to "take their leave of him; but "he was not dead last night, "though none expect he can

Paris, Sept. 5, 1701. King James was taken on Friday laft with fainting fits, which returned upon him yefterday. He was then fo ill, that they gave him the extreme unction, and he was thought a dying. There is a report that he is dead, but I do not believe it; though by the accounts I have he cannot live twenty-four hours. I do therefore expect every moment the news of his death. I do not think of fending a courier till I fee how the court of France will act, and whether they will own the p. prince of Wales. By what I can learn they are undetermined recover. I know fo much, at prefent what to do, and whe"that, as foon as he dies, the ther they fhall fuffer those of " St. Germain's to proclaim him. I will take care to inform his majefty of every step that is made.

To Mr. fecretary Vernon.

Paris, Sept. 7, 1701.

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p. prince will take upon him the title of king of England, "and he will be owned as fuch

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by thofe of St. Germains. "I am in doubt, whether the "court of France will own him "fo foon. As foon as I hear "how this court acts on this "occafion, I intend to fend an

On Sunday laft king James" exprefs to his majefty for inhad again feveral fainting fits, "ftructions and orders." which lafted fo long that they thought him dead; but they brought him at last to himself. He received the extreme unction, and feems much refigned.

To Mr. Blathwayt.
Paris, Sept. 9, 1701.
King James is ftill alive, but
without any hopes of recovery."

He

Soon after this, the king of Spain owned the pretender as Will.III. king of England, as likewife did the pope and the duke of 1701. Savoy ;

He feems much refigned, and has exhorted the lords Middleton, and Griffin, and the reft of his Proteftant fervants, to embrace the Romish religion. I hear the latter is extremely uneafy, because the king of France was prefent, and took notice of him, and faid, that he hoped he would confider what king James had faid to him. This will have the greater effect, because, if he fhould not change, it is uncertain, whether the French court will have any fuch regard for him as it has had hitherto. They talk much of what king James faid to the p. prince to keep ftedfaft to his religion, and not depart from it on any account whatsoever. I can tell you, that the moment king James dies, the other will take the title of king of England, and will be owned as fuch by thofe of St. Germain's. The French king is now at Marly, and at his return he goes to Fontainebleau: So it may be easily contrived not to fee the p. prince till his return. The queen will be in a convent at Chaliot till the king is buried, and the p. prince at the duke of Laufun's at Paris, and after that they will return to St. Germain's. I doubt not but the French will call him Roy d'Angleterre.

To Mr. fecretary Vernon.

Paris, Sept. 14, 1701. It was expected, that king James would have died laft

night, but he was alive this morning, though they expect he will expire every moment, being dead almoft up to his ftomach, and he is fenfible of no pain. The king of France was there laft night, and did declare, that he would own the p. prince for king of England immediately. This he faid before feveral people, and I have it from fuch good hands, that I hardly doubt it.

To Mr. Blathwayt.

Paris, Sept. 16, 1701. We have ever fince Tuesday laft been expecting to hear of the death of the late king. His grand diftemper now is a lethargy, and he is often thought dead, though with cordials, &c. they keep him up without any hopes of recovery. The king of France was that day to fee him, and then he declared publickly, that he would own the p. prince for king of England, and ordered the captains of the guards to pay him the fame honours they did to the late K. James. This is what his majefty may rely upon. I know, that fome of the foreign minifters took notice of it yesterday to M. de Torcy, who faid, that there was nothing in that contrary to the treaty of Ryfwick. I cannot tell how they will explain this here, but certainly it cannot be understood fo; and it fhews at leaft, that this court does not intend to keep any meatures with his ma

jefty.

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