ii.; he held the offices of Master of the Armories and Lieutenant- General of the Ordnance.  He refused honours (a knighthood from Charles I. and an earldom from Charles ii.), but his eldest son George was created Baron Dartmouth in 1682.  He died October 13th, 1672, at his house in the Minories, and was buried in]

and have got an order that no Treasurer after him shall ever sit at the Board; and it is a good one:  that no master of the Ordnance here shall ever sell a place.  He tells me they have not paid any increase of price for any thing during this war, but in most have paid less; and at this day have greater stores than they know where to lay, if there should be peace, and than ever was any time this war.  That they pay every man in course, and have notice of the disposal of every farthing.  Every man that they owe money to has his share of every sum they receive; never borrowed all this war but L30,000 by the King’s express command, but do usually stay till their assignments become payable in their own course, which is the whole mystery, that they have had assignments for a fifth part of whatever was assigned to the Navy.  They have power of putting out and in of all officers; are going upon a building that will cost them L12,000; that they out of their stock of tallies have been forced to help the Treasurer of the Navy at this great pinch.  Then to talk of newes:  that he thinks the want of money hath undone the King, for the Parliament will never give the King more money without calling all people to account, nor, as he believes, will ever make war again, but they will manage it themselves:  unless, which I proposed, he would visibly become a severer inspector into his own business and accounts, and that would gain upon the Parliament yet:  which he confesses and confirms as the only lift to set him upon his legs, but says that it is not in his nature ever to do.  He says that he believes but four men (such as he could name) would do the business of both offices, his and ours, and if ever the war were to be again it should be so, he believes.  He told me to my face that I was a very good clerk, and did understand the business and do it very well, and that he would never desire a better.  He do believe that the Parliament, if ever they meet, will offer some alterations to the King, and will turn some of us out, and I protest I think he is in the right that either they or the King will be advised to some regulations, and therefore I ought to beware, as it is easy for me to keep myself up if I will.  He thinks that much of our misfortune hath been for want of an active Lord Treasurer, and that such a man as Sir W. Coventry would do the business thoroughly.  This talk being over, comes his boy and tells us [Sir] W. Coventry is come in, and so he and I to him, and there told the difficulty of getting this money, and they did play hard upon Sir G. Carteret as a man moped and stunned, not knowing which way to turn himself.