of money; the expense growing infinite, the service
not to be done, and discipline and order not to be
kept, only from want of money. I begun to discourse
with him the business of Tangier, which by the removal
of my Lord Bellasses, is now to have a new Governor;
and did move him, that at this season all the business
of reforming the garrison might be considered, while
nobody was to be offended; and I told him it is plain
that we do overspend our revenue: that the place
is of no more profit to the King than it was the first
day, nor in itself of better credit; no more people
of condition willing to live there, nor any thing like
a place likely to turn his Majesty to account:
that it hath been hitherto, and, for aught I see,
likely only to be used as a job to do a kindness to
some Lord, or he that can get to be Governor.
Sir W. Coventry agreed with me, so as to say, that
unless the King hath the wealth of the Mogul, he would
be a beggar to have his businesses ordered in the
manner they now are: that his garrisons must
be made places only of convenience to particular persons
that he hath moved the Duke of York in it; and that
it was resolved to send no Governor thither till there
had been Commissioners sent to put the garrison in
order, so as that he that goes may go with limitations
and rules to follow, and not to do as he please, as
the rest have hitherto done. That he is not
afeard to speak his mind, though to the displeasure
of any man; and that I know well enough; but that,
when it is come, as it is now, that to speak the truth
in behalf of the King plainly do no good, but all
things bore down by other measures than by what is
best for the King, he hath no temptation to be perpetually
fighting of battles, it being more easy to him do
those terms to suffer things to go on without giving
any man offence, than to have the same thing done,
and he contract the displeasure of all the world,
as he must do, that will be for the King. I did
offer him to draw up my thoughts in this matter to
present to the Duke of York, which he approved of,
and I do think to do it. So away, and by coach
going home saw Sir G. Carteret going towards White
Hall. So ’light and by water met him, and
with him to the King’s little chapel; and afterwards
to see the King heal the King’s Evil, wherein
no pleasure, I having seen it before; and then to
see him and the Queene and Duke of York and his wife,
at dinner in the Queene’s lodgings; and so with
Sir G. Carteret to his lodgings to dinner; where very
good company; and after dinner he and I to talk alone
how things are managed, and to what ruin we must come
if we have not a peace. He did tell me one occasion,
how Sir Thomas Allen, which I took for a man of known
courage and service on the King’s side, was
tried for his life in Prince Rupert’s fleete,
in the late times, for cowardice, and condemned to
be hanged, and fled to Jersey; where Sir G. Carteret
received him, not knowing the reason of his coming
thither: and that thereupon Prince Rupert wrote