executed here for the King’s murder.  What reason the King hath, I know not; but it seems he is doubtfull of Scotland:  and this afternoon, when I was there, the Council was called extraordinary; and they were opening the letters this last post’s coming and going between Scotland and us and other places.  Blessed be God, my head and hands are clear, and therefore my sleep safe.  The King of France is well again.

2d.  Up and by water to White Hall and so to St. James’s, to Mr. Coventry; where I had an hour’s private talk with him.  Most of it was discourse concerning his own condition, at present being under the censure of the House, being concerned with others in the Bill for selling of offices.  He tells me, that though he thinks himself to suffer much in his fame hereby, yet he values nothing more of evil to hang over him for that it is against no statute, as is pretended, nor more than what his predecessors time out of mind have taken; and that so soon as he found himself to be in an errour, he did desire to have his fees set, which was done; and since that he hath not taken a token more.  He undertakes to prove, that he did never take a token of any captain to get him employed in his life beforehand, or demanded any thing:  and for the other accusation, that the Cavaliers are not employed, he looked over the list of them now in the service, and of the twenty-seven that are employed, thirteen have been heretofore always under the King; two neutralls, and the other twelve men of great courage, and such as had either the King’s particular commands, or great recommendation to put them in, and none by himself.  Besides that, he says it is not the King’s nor Duke’s opinion that the whole party of the late officers should be rendered desperate.  And lastly, he confesses that the more of the Cavaliers are put in, the less of discipline hath followed in the fleet; and that, whenever there comes occasion, it must be the old ones that must do any good, there being only, he says, but Captain Allen good for anything of them all.  He tells me, that he cannot guess whom all this should come from; but he suspects Sir G. Carteret, as I also do, at least that he is pleased with it.  But he tells me that he will bring Sir G. Carteret to be the first adviser and instructor of him what to make his place of benefit to him; telling him that Smith did make his place worth L5000 and he believed L7000 to him the first year; besides something else greater than all this, which he forbore to tell me.  It seems one Sir Thomas Tomkins of the House, that makes many mad motions, did bring it into the House, saying that a letter was left at his lodgings, subscribed by one Benson (which is a feigned name, for there is no such man in the Navy), telling him how many places in the Navy have been sold.  And by another letter, left in the same manner since, nobody appearing, he writes him that there is one Hughes and another Butler (both rogues, that have for their roguery been turned