Series 1 > Diplomatic correspondence of Jean de Montereul and the brothers de Bellièvre, French ambassadors in England and Scotland, 1645-48 > Volume 1

xiv MONTEREUL CORRESPONDENCE
reddiest and surest friende. So when anie other proposition sail be
made unto thame be Mons. Boisivon they will returne suche ane
answer yrto as apperteineth.
‘(Signed) Primrose, Clers. Cons.’
M. de Boisivon, in his subsequent correspondence1 with
M. de Brienne, French Secretary of State, alleges that he had
discovered the real object of the Earl of Lothian’s mission to
France to have been to treat with the Huguenots there, and
to invite them to enter into their league. He states that
there was a close understanding between the Puritans in
London, Scotland, and France, as also with those in Holland,
Germany, and Denmark, and that attention should be paid to
their designs. Writing of the ignorance of the Scots as to what
existed abroad and of their presumption, he says: 4 They feel
certain they could, were they united, conquer all the princes in
Christendom,—their plans are so vast, and their presumption
so great, that there is no hope of obtaining anything from
them. . . . The Marquis of Argyle is absolute here,—intelli¬
gent in the highest degree as to what concerns Scotland and
nothing more, he requires the reputation of Leslie to control
the soldiery, and this latter takes for his prototype the King
of Sweden, who, with no greater force than they have, overran
all Germany. This example has so spoilt General Leslie, that
lately in a large gathering of nobles he said, addressing himself
to Lord Hume and speaking of the army they intend to raise:
44 Consider, my Lord, what glory it would be before God and
man if we were to drive the Catholics out of England and
follow them to France, and in imitation of the late King of
Sweden, rally around us all those of the religion in France, and
plant, either with consent or by force, our religion in Paris,
and thence, go to Rome, drive out Antichrist, and burn the
town.”1
The design on the part of France to deter the Scots
1 See Appendix, Note A. The Boisivon Correspondence.