Seek your Coquins elsewhere, you're one your self, But the Person of Kings is sacred. Besides, Can that be an abuse, which is spoken pleasantly, without the least design perhaps of offending. For Coquin is a word which the Late King of England often used, when he spoke of People for whom he had notwithstanding Respect and Consideration. 'Tis true, he used the word also very familiarly, when he was angry, but at such times he spoke with indignation, and not pleasantly.
The Parliament presented an Address to the King (as Monsieur T. reports) in which they represented the Progress of the French Arms, and desired him to stop it before it became more dangerous to England, and the other Neighbouring Countries. Don Bernard de Salinas (continues Monsieur T.) said to certain Members of the Commons, that this Address had so exasperated the King, that he said those who were the Authors of it were a Company of Coquins.
I remembred at my Arrival in England, in 1675, before I was to go into France in Quality of an Envoy, whither I acknowledge his most Christian Majesty would not permit me to come, either because they had informed him that I had embraced the Protestant Religion, or it may be because the King of France would not receive his own Subjects, in the Quality of Ministers of other Princes. It happened, I say, that the King of England (to whom also I had a Commission) bid the Marquiss of Ruvigni, one Evening, bring me to his Cabinet, and himself come in with me.
The King enquired of me, at the first, what news I could tell him of the Condition of the Swedes Army in Pomerania, through which I past, and exprest much concern that the Constable Wrangle, not minding to pass forward into the Empire (as Monsieur T. says) had thereby different pretences, had attacked the Elector of Branderburg as vigorously and with as much success as he could. I told the King the reason, which concerns not my present subject to report here.
Afterwards, I having informed the King of the State of Germany, the King believing that I was to pass into France, spoke to me in these very words. Monsieur, tell the King, my Brother, that it is much against my mind that I have made Peace with these Coquins, the Hollanders, Monsieur the Marquiss of Ruvigny, who stands here, knows it well.
Sometime before the making of this Peace, the King talking with Monsieur de Shrenborn Envoy from Mayence, told him also, in Relation to the Hollanders, In a little time, Monsieur, I will bring these Coquins to Reason. Monsieur de Barillon writ to the Count d' Avaux, the French Ambassadour at the Hague, certain Discourses which the King had concerning the Hollanders. The Count d' Avaux made use of this to encrease the just Suspitions of the Estates. He carried the Letters of Monsieur Barillon, to Monsieur Fagel. Whereupon, the States made a terrible Complaint, and the King of England said on this Occasion to the Duke of Lauderdale, that Monsieur Barillon, and the Count d' Avaux were Coquins.
Had the King called me Coquin, seriously, I ought not to think it any very strange thing; since he hath treated in the same manner the most powerful and wisest Republick of the World, to whom he had so great Obligations; two Ambassadours of his most Christian Majesty, of extraordinary merit, and as honest Men as France ever had; and also the greatest Lords of his own Kingdom who were Authors of the Address which the Commons presented him.
There is also this difference, that the King, speaking of those Lords, those Ambassadours, and the Hollanders, he called them Coquins in anger, but when he spoke of me, he said it pleasantly (according to Monsieur T.) and that I was a cunning Coquin, more cunning than the Duke of York, my Lord Treasurer, the Secretary of State Williamson, and even the King himself.
Either I am much deceived, or all the Ministers of the Confederates that were then at London, would have been all Coquins at this rate, and Monsieur Temple himself, and would have deceived those who abused and deceived them. For besides, there is more credit methinks on such like Occasions, to be a cunning Rogue, and to pass for a more able Man than the most able Ministers of State, than to be the laughing-stock, and the Fool of a Monk and a sort of Agent; Sir William Temple, and some others, were truly so on this occasion.
But I would acquaint Sir W. Temple of what he has not perhaps heard of, as he has done the like to me, I do not invent it to revenge my self, and if I would make use of falshoods, I might make recourse to more heinous Affronts; the truth of my Remarks upon his Memoirs, shall be my full satisfaction. What I shall relate may be found in my Letters upon that account to the Prince my Master, and his Ministers: I took no particular care to divulge it immediately to Mounsieur Barillon, to whom I was so much devoted; were he alive he might witness that as well as the Aversion the King of England always bore to Sir W. Temple; and the little Esteem he had of him at bottom. Upon my return from Nimeguen to London, I went immediately to Court, as soon as I came there I meet Prince Rupert, who askt me with a sterne Countenance if the Peace was Concluded, I answered him in the Affirmative, upon which he cryed out and said, O Dissimulation. After having had the Honour to give his Majesty an account of what was past, I told him of the ill humour I perceived Sir W. T. to be in, and what I knew of his neglect of his Majesties Orders; The King seemed very angry with Sir W's. Proceedings, and said, he was a very impertinent R—— to find fault with my Commands.