Germain en Laye 2 mars [April] 1729 st
We fall out for ever if you do not take five hundred french livres from the arrears with the quuen ows to me, and of which Palu promises the payment.
You must have an hundred crowns beside from Bernard, and as much from the book seller who will bargain for the priviledge of the Swedish King's life. That must be so or we are no friends.
Jll write to Palu in a few days to thank him but J would know before wether he nows of my concealment here, and what he thinks upon't. You ought not to discover any thing to him, but let him discover to you what he knows.
Before j went out of Paris j received at mr Cavalier's house a letter writen to me by cardinal Fleury, which was sent to London and back from London to Paris. The priest is very civil. He vouchsafes to write to me most obligingly that he has taken away my rents without mercy.
I hope mr de Brancas will instruct me on the particularities which he knows concerning the late King of Sweden. But there are many more curious things relating to that history, which J conjure you earnestly to enquire of.
You may go to the swedish embassador or to his secretary, or to his chaplain or his whore; ask any of em
1º whether t'is true count Piper had so great a hand in engaging the states to Declare the King major at sixteen.
what part the queen grand mother had in the affairs, since her grandson's majority.
what sort of governement was established in Sweden after the King's arrival on the turckish dominions.
J begg of you too, to sée mr de Croissy, of whom j have made a very honourable mention in my history, and whose family j have much commended as j think it deserves.
Ask him in what tongue the King did speak with him in Stralsund.
But especially sift him about the pretender's interest with that monarck at that time, endeavour to know whether France had any design to help the pretender together with the Kind of Sweden.
Ask him if he knew the famous baron Goerts, and how far he believes Goerts had carried his vast designs about the pretender, and the empire.
Do not forget to ingratiate me with mr de Croissy, whom J esteem very much.
When you see mr de Maisons, tell him you do not know where j am at present, but desire him to forward his remarks, and to restore the manuscript as soon as he can.
There as another query more weighty than all the rest.
Two or three historians or rather compilers of gazettes have confidently reported, that King Augustus of Poland at his restoration caused to be beheaded one Fengsten, his privy councellor, for having signed the shamefull peace of Alrapstad, in order to let the world believe, that, he (the King) had been imposed upon by Fengsten, and to load an innocent subject with the whole odium and shame of that treaty. J know Kings are capable of the most outrageous and wiked pieces of barbarity which they call refinement in politiks. Yet J have many reasons to question the beheading of that Fengsten. Pray talk to mr de Brancas about it. Enquire who may give you a true account of that affair. You will oblige very much yr friend.
Farewell.
Do not forget the abbot Dubos.
I love thee by god.