From ordinary discourse my Lord fell to talk of other
matters to me, of which chiefly the second part of
the fray, which he told me a little while since of,
between Mr. Edward Montagu and himself, which is that
after that he had since been with him three times
and no notice taken at all of any difference between
them, and yet since that he hath forborn coming to
him almost two months, and do speak not only slightly
of my Lord every where, but hath complained to my Lord
Chancellor of him, and arrogated all that ever my Lord
hath done to be only by his direction and persuasion.
Whether he hath done the like to the King or no,
my Lord knows not; but my Lord hath been with the King
since, and finds all things fair; and my Lord Chancellor
hath told him of it, but with so much contempt of
Mr. Montagu, as my Lord knows himself very secure
against any thing the fool can do; and notwithstanding
all this, so noble is his nature, that he professes
himself ready to show kindness and pity to Mr. Montagu
on any occasion. My Lord told me of his presenting
Sir H. Bennet with a gold cupp of L100, which he refuses,
with a compliment; but my Lord would have been glad
he had taken it, that he might have had some obligations
upon him which he thinks possible the other may refuse
to prevent it; not that he hath any reason to doubt
his kindness. But I perceive great differences
there are at Court; and Sir H. Bennet and my Lord
Bristol, and their faction, are likely to carry all
things before them (which my Lord’s judgment
is, will not be for the best), and particularly against
the Chancellor, who, he tells me, is irrecoverably
lost: but, however, that he will not actually
joyne in anything against the Chancellor, whom he
do own to be his most sure friend, and to have been
his greatest; and therefore will not openly act in
either, but passively carry himself even. The
Queen, my Lord tells me, he thinks he hath incurred
some displeasure with, for his kindness to his neighbour,
my Lady Castlemaine. My Lord tells me he hath
no reason to fall for her sake, whose wit, management,
nor interest, is not likely to hold up any man, and
therefore he thinks it not his obligation to stand
for her against his own interest. The Duke and
Mr. Coventry my Lord says he is very well with, and
fears not but they will show themselves his very good
friends, specially at this time, he being able to serve
them, and they needing him, which he did not tell
me wherein. Talking of the business of Tangier,
he tells me that my Lord Tiviott is gone away without
the least respect paid to him, nor indeed to any man,
but without his commission; and (if it be true what
he says) having laid out seven or eight thousand pounds
in commodities for the place; and besides having not
only disobliged all the Commissioners for Tangier,
but also Sir Charles Barkeley the other day, who,
speaking in behalf of Colonel Fitz-Gerald, that having
been deputy-governor there already, he ought to have
expected and had the governorship upon the death or