Folios 62-75. Folios 62-75. Letter dated [February 16 -18 new style] at Paris from...

Folios 62-75. Folios 62-75. Letter dated [February 16 -18 new style] at Paris from Lord Portland to the King. Reports at length on his discussions with Marshalls Boufflers and Villeroy regarding the French Court's continued tolerance of the Duke of Berwick and others, contrary to what Portland believed had been agreed with Boufflers and to the King's expressions to him. Marshall Villeroy indicated that the French King was only motivated by compassion and pity, that if there were people who might be suspected of so awful a crime as assassination, the King must be informed and would certainly not tolerate them; that the Duke of Berwick had only gone to England about the business of the invasion, and that Sir George Barclay had broken off with his company. Lord Portland was clear with Marshall Villeroy that King William had shown compassion, notably in the large sum he had given for the support of King James, and he was astonished that there should be any doubt that there were people there suspected of assassination given so many of those executed had confessed their crime in dying; as for the Duke of Berwick, if he had only been in England for the purpose of the invasion, he would not have been regarded or dealt with differently from other rebels; but that it was known that he had been privy to the conspiracy. At his subsequent audience on 7 February with the French King, the latter said he could not understand why he was being asked to distance King James - he was his near relation; he was touched by his misfortune; he had helped him so long, he could not in honour make him withdraw - that Lord Portland and King William ought to be satisfied if the French King gave his word that he would not aid him, and would sincerely keep the peace. Portland replied among other things that it was not a question of compassion, King William having given him or his wife the Queen circa £50,000 per annum to live elsewhere, and if he was refusing to withdraw under those conditions it must be in the hope of using that money to incite trouble; it was out of respect for the French King that Lord Portland had not insisted on his retreat being inserted as an article in the Peace Treaty, but he had positively declared to Marhsall Boufflers that without this withdrawal the peace could not last, further to which they had agreed on Avignon as an acceptable location. Notwithstanding King William's trust in the French King's word, there were matters beyond his control which meant England would be in perpetual fear of the Peace not lasting if King James did not withdraw. The French King said he would never resolve to make King James withdraw. As to the assassins at his Court, the French King pled ignorance and made comments in defence of the Duke of Berwick, Sir George Barclay, Harrison, and Birkenhead. Portland notes that the French King spoke to him with a much drier tone than in the previous encounter. [Post-Script dated 8 February: Lord Portland begs the King for orders on how to proceed, suggesting that no longer paying King James, and forbidding his supporters from remaining in England by reason of King James' refusal to withdraw might make the French compel him to withdraw of his own accord. [The rest of the letter is in Cypher, which appears to be partially decoded in another hand to read: "Your Majesty will see from what I have just said how much the peace can be relied on and how much trust is to be placed in protestations where there is evidence to the contrary. Your Majesty knows that this should in no way surprise me, my having expected it"]. Folios 76-77. Enclosure (copy) undated and unsigned memorandum regarding King James remaining at Court together with those who attempted to assassinate King William, endorsed "note of what I said to the King".