For the rest, as there were still many difficulties and might be slips, the agreement between his Majesty and Monk was to be kept profoundly secret.[3] [Footnote 1: These two of the late public servants of Oliver--Downing his minister at the Hague, and Morland his envoy in the business of the Piedmontese massacre of 1655--had behaved most dishonourably.
Both, for some months past, had been establishing friendly relations with Charles by actually betraying trusts they still held with the government of the Commonwealth--Morland by communicating papers and information which came into his possession confidentially in Thurloe's office (_Clar.

Hist._ 869), and Downing by communicating the secrets of his embassy to Charles, and acting in his interests in that embassy, on guarantee that he should retain it, and have other rewards, when Charles came to the throne (_Clar.

Life_, 1116-1117).

There was to be farther proof that Downing was the meaner rascal of the two.] [Footnote 2: Pepys's Diary, from beginning to April 11, 1660.
Montague seems to have first positively and directly pledged himself to Charles in a letter of April 10, beginning "May it please your excellent Majesty,--From your Majesty's incomparable goodness and favour, I had the high honour to receive a letter from you when I was in the Sound last summer, and now another by the hands of my cousin" (Clar.

State Papers).