if France or Spayne do not please us, we are in a
way presently to clap up a peace with the Dutch, and
secure them. But we are also in treaty with France,
as he says: but it must be to the excluding our
alliance with the King of Spayne or House of Austria;
which we do not know presently what will be determined
in. He tells me the Vice-Chamberlaine is so great
with the King, that, let the Duke of York, and Sir
W. Coventry, and this office, do or say what they
will, while the King lives, Sir G. Carteret will do
what he will; and advises me to be often with him,
and eat and drink with him.; and tells me that he
doubts he is jealous of me, and was mighty mad to-day
at our discourse to him before the Duke of York.
But I did give him my reasons that the office is
concerned to declare that, without money, the King’s
work cannot go on. From that discourse we ran
to others, and among the others he assures me that
Henry Bruncker is one of the shrewdest fellows for
parts in England, and a dangerous man; that if ever
the Parliament comes again Sir W. Coventry cannot
stand, but in this I believe him not; that, while
we want money so much in the Navy, the Officers of
the Ordnance have at this day L300,000 good in tallys,
which they can command money upon, got by their over-estimating
their charge in getting it reckoned as a fifth part
of the expense of the Navy; that Harry Coventry, who
is to go upon this treaty with Lord Hollis (who he
confesses to be a very wise man) into Holland, is
a mighty quick, ready man, but not so weighty as he
should be, he knowing him so well in his drink as he
do; that, unless the King do do something against
my Lord Mordaunt and the Patent for the Canary Company,
before the Parliament next meets, he do believe there
will be a civil war before there will be any more money
given, unless it may be at their perfect disposal;
and that all things are now ordered to the provoking
of the Parliament against they come next, and the
spending the King’s money, so as to put him into
a necessity of having it at the time it is prorogued
for, or sooner. Having discoursed all this and
much more, he away, and I to supper and to read my
vows, and to bed. My mind troubled about Betty
Michell, ‘pour sa carriage’ this night
‘envers moy’, but do hope it will put me
upon doing my business. This evening, going
to the Queen’s side to see the ladies, I did
find the Queene, the Duchesse of York, and another
or two, at cards, with the room full of great ladies
and men; which I was amazed at to see on a Sunday,
having not believed it; but, contrarily, flatly denied
the same a little while since to my cozen Roger Pepys?
I did this day, going by water, read the answer to
“The Apology for Papists,” which did like
me mightily, it being a thing as well writ as I think
most things that ever I read in my life, and glad
I am that I read it.