Page:English Historical Review Volume 35.djvu/380

 372 MACPHERSON AND THE NAIRNE PAPERS July Bill, the favourite of James II, whose religion he adopted to secure the continuance of his favour, and, after a second apostasy, the confidential adviser of William in the whig interest. The conscience of such a master of the art of political tergiversation would not have shnmk from an attempt to insure himself against a restoration. (/) The Arran Letters} The only notable point about this paper is that it is called a translation by Naime, which lends colour to the theory that (c) and (d) are also translations. {g) The Lloyd Report} Colonel PameU, after pointing out that Godolphin used to Lloyd phrases similar to those used by Lloyd himself to Russell, claimed that the absurdity of treating these Naime papers as authentic materials of EngUsh history is in none of them placed in so clear a light as in this wonderful document. It leaves little room for doubt that, if not a forgery of later times, it was quietly composed at St. Germain by Melfort and Lloyd in concert, and was transmitted to Versailles as the latest bona fide account of English politics. The fact that Lloyd attributes to Godolphin certain phrases he himself uttered when talking to Russell may be considered as a proof that the paper is a translation of a genuine report. This would be a natural mistake to make when relating from memory conversations held on different occasions, but it would be an extraordinary blunder for Melfort to make if composing a fictitious account. Melfort's alterations point to the same conclusion. The report begins : Estant arive a Londres J'envoyois querir le generall major Sackville et les autres a qui j'estois adresse far V^ M'^^ pour me faciliter I'acces a Mons*^ I'amirall Russell. . . . Another sentence is : lis mamenoient my Lord Churchill le premier a qui je monstray mes instructions en meme temps I'informant que V'* Mayt« ayant entendue qul devoit avoir ^ de Temploy m'avoit ordonne d'assurer de sa part qu'elle en estoit bien aise et lui donnoit son consentement pour I'accepter,' > Carte MS. 209, £F. 178-9; Original Papers, i. 512-4 ; arUe, xii. 264. • Carte MS. 181, ff. 568-71 ; Original Papers, i. 480-1 ; anie, xii. 264-8. asserts that the letter begins, 'May it please your Majesty' (following Original Papers, i. 480), that it shows no sign of having been folded, when in reality there are at least two clear signs, and that it implicates Danby, whereas the only reference to him is in the last lines, where Mary is said to rely on his advice, and that of Shrewsbury, in William's absence (Original Papers, i. 483). » Substituted for ' que le p[rince] d'0[range] lui avoit o£fert'. • Translated in Original Papers, L 480.
 * ' par ' is interlineated, ' V M" ' is in the margin. Colonel Pamell wrongly
 * Written over ' Y' '.