A LETTER FROM ROME: Written by a Roman catholic There, to a Person of Quality in England; giving a full Account of a Memorial presented to the Pope, in relation to the late King James's Affairs with the Popes Answer, Or,( rather) denial thereto.  
licenced, July 2d: 1689.  
SIR,  
I AM glad the present Heat in England against those of my Religion, has not brought upon me the misfortune of being lost to your remembrance, which I was the more jealous of, because having written to you in November last, I received no return. I think you for your News, in your Letter dated May 20. Tho they cannot be pleasant to me, yet I am glad to know the worst.  
In relation and obedience to your commands, I shall give you a Scantling, how that mighty Revolution in England is relished here, and what are Peoples thoughts of King James's Circumstances.  
His Holiness manifests as little concern for that Kings Misfortunes, as if he had been none of his Sons; and by what Fate I cannot divine, scarce any of the Cardinals, except those of the French Faction, seem to have any Compassion for him. This on the Popes part, will appear to you by a Speech made the last monday to the Cardinal de east, Brother to the Queen of England, and Protector of our Nation, which has made a mighty noise here, and was thus occcasion'd: That Cardinal had often demanded Audience of his Holiness with the greatest importunity; but whether from an Aversion to the Cardinals person, or Interest, or some hidden principle, the Pope could by no means be brought to grant it; at length, after long Attendance, the Cardinal was desired to give some account before hand, of the subject Matter upon which he demanded Audience: Which the Cardinal  told, was to lay before his Holiness, The sad Circumstances of his Brittanick Majesty, and of the catholics in England, and humbly to entreat his Holiness to endeavour an Union of all catholic Princes for the Restauration of his Brittanick Majesty; and in the mean time, he had it in Command from that King, to beg his Holiness to take into his Fatherly protection and Tenderness the most Christian King, whose Zeal to propagate the catholic Religion has so signally appeared, and upon whose protection and Assistance, King James did most rely for the Recovery of his Kingdoms.  
This Breviat being delivered to his Holiness, we were all big with expectation of the Cardinal de Este's receiving a solemn Audience. But after a weeks delay, we were mightily disappointed, For instead of being admitted into the Popes presence, the Master of the sacred Palace was commanded to attend the Cardinal de east, at the palace Pamphilio, where he publicly made him the Speech following, which I have given you in the nearest words I can from the Italian.  
His Holiness( said he) has commanded me to wait upon your Eminence, and in his name to tell you, That his Holiness as the common Father of Christendom is very much afflicted with the present bad circumstances of his dearest Son his britannic Majesty, and the rather that his misfortunes have been both sudden and unexpected: But he commands me likewise to tell you, That he looks upon that unseparable conjunction betwixt that King and the King of France, and the measures borrowed by him from the French Court, to have been the true source of the King of Britains miseries, especially considering the People of England were ever naturally inclinable to suspect their Kings Friendship with France, as tending to infringe their Liberties, and subject them to a French sort of Government, whereof they are so impatient. I 'm commanded in the third place to tell your Eminence, That it is his Holiness Opinion, That the encroachments of the King of France upon the Empire and Territories of the catholic King, together with his undutiful carriage to the holy See, in point of the Franchises, has been the occasion of the Princes of the empire, the King of Sweden and the Hollanders entering into a defensive and offensive League, and of the Prince of Orange's bold attempt upon England; so that the breaches of Europe, and the ruin of his britannic Majesty, and of the catholic Religion in those Kingdoms, now in possession of the Prince of Orange, must lie at the door of, and be imputed to the King of France. His Holiness commands me in the fourth place, to tell your Eminence, That in respect of this long War with the Turks, and the continuation of it by the instigation of the King of France, his H: has expended vast sums of money, and is obliged to expend as much more as he can possibly spare; and is likewise obliged to fortify his own Territories, and keep more Forces on foot than ordinary: For which reasons it is utterly impossible for his Holiness to assist his britannic Majesty with any Money at this Juncture. I am commanded likewise to tell your Eminence in the last place, That for certain important and weighty Reasons, his Holiness cannot allow neither your Eminence, nor his Eminence the Cardinal de Estres, public or private Audience. Thus far the Master of the Sacred Palace's Speech.  
You may easily conjecture how surprising it was to the Cardinal de east, and those of the French Faction. That I may not exceed the bounds of a Letter, I'll conclude it with telling you freely, the Opinion the most knowing Persons at Rome have of King James's Affairs; and to deal sincerely with you, They look upon them as next to, if not altogether, desperate; from these Reasons, First, Because of the Prince of Oranges Conjunction with the Hollanders, the King of Sweden, and the most of the considerable Princes of the Empire. Secondly, Because of the King of France's being in open Hostility with the most of his Neighbours, and his bad Circumstances with the Pope; who if he had not been thus engaged, was the only Prince in Europe most capable to retrieve King Jame's Affairs. Thirdly, The extraordinary Conduct and Courage of the Prince of Orange, who is esteemed to come short of no Prince in Christendom, both in Action and Cabinet. Fourthly, Because of the many and great Disobligements put upon the English Nation, by French Counsels. And lastly, Because of the great hatred the most Princes of Europe bear to the French King, which will give them an Aversion to whatever side he is of, tho it should be the best.  
I would writ you more on this Head, but I am not assured this shall come to your hand, being obliged to sand it the frank fort Road; the French Post, as we hear, being stopped from going for England. If I find by your next that this comes safe to hand, you shall have account of what occurs most remarkable here, especially about English Affairs; and I expect you will give me what has occurred since your last. I desire that it may not be known; what freedom I use in writing to you, least it should prejudice me here. I shall ever entertain all occasions of evidencing myself,  
Rome, June 1: V. S. 1689. SIR, Your very Affectionate and most humble Servant.   

Re-Printed in Edinburgh, 1689.