supposes it might be Prince Rupert, or it may be only that the King would rather pass it by an excuse, than be thought unkind but that now he did desire him to attend him constantly, which of late he hath done, and the King never more kind to him in his life than now The Duke of York, as much as is possible, and in the business of late, when I was to speak to my Lord about his going to sea, he says that he finds the Duke did it with the greatest ingenuity and love in the world ‘and whereas,’ says my Lord, ‘here is a wise man hard by that thinks himself so, and it may be is in a degree so, (naming by and by my Lord Crewe,) would have had me condition with him that neither Prince Rupert nor any body should come over his head, and I know not what,’ the Duke himself hath caused in his commission, that he be made Admirall of this and what other ships or fleets shall hereafter be put out after these, which is very noble He tells me in these cases, and that of Mr Montagu’s, and all others, he finds that bearing of them patiently is the best way, without noise or trouble, and things wear out of themselves and come fair again But says he takes it from me, never to trust too much to any man in the world, for you put yourself into his power, and the best seeming friend and real friend as to the present may have or take occasion to fall out with you, and then out comes all Then he told me of Sir Harry Bennet, though they were always kind, yet now it is become to an acquaintance and familiarity above ordinary, that for these months he hath done no business but with my Lord’s advice in his chamber, and promises all faithfull love to him and service upon all occasions My Lord says, that he hath the advantage of being able by his experience to help out and advise him, and he believes that that chiefly do invite Sir Harry to this manner of treating him ‘Now,’ says my Lord, ‘the only and the greatest embarras that I have in the world is, how to behave myself to Sir H Bennet and my Lord Chancellor, in case that there do he any thing under the embers about my Lord Bristoll, which nobody can tell, for then,’ says he, ‘I must appear for one or other, and I will lose all I have in the world rather than desert my Lord Chancellor so that,’ says he, ‘I know not for my life what to do in that case’ For Sir H Bennet’s love is come to the height, and his confidence, that he hath given my lord a character,⁴⁰ and will oblige my Lord to correspond with him ‘This,’ says he, ‘is the whole condition of my estate and interest, which I tell you, because I know not whether I shall see you again or no’ Then as to the voyage, he thinks it will be of charge to him, and no profit, but that he must not now look after nor think to encrease, but study to make good what he hath, that what is due to him from the Wardrobe or elsewhere may be paid, which otherwise would fail, and all a man hath be but small content to him So we seemed to take leave one of another, my Lord of me, desiring me that I would write to him and give him information upon all occasions in matters that concern him, which, put together with what he preambled with yesterday, makes me think that my Lord do truly esteem me still, and desires to preserve my service to him, which I do bless God for In the middle of our discourse my Lady Crewe come in to bring my Lord word that he hath another son, my Lady being brought to bed just now, for which God be praised! and send my Lord to study the laying up of something the more! Thence with Creed to St James’s, and missing Mr Coventry, to White Hall, where, staying for him in one of the galleries, there comes out of the chayre-roome Mrs Stewart in a most lovely form, with her hair all about her eares, having her picture taken there There was the King and twenty more I think, standing by all the while, and a lovely creature she in the dress seemed to be.

18th Sir G Carteret and I did talk together in the Parke about my Lord Chancellor’s business of the timber, he telling me freely that my Lord Chancellor was never so angry with him in all his life, as he was for this business, and in a great passion, and that when he saw me there, he knew what it was about And plots now with me how we may serve my Lord, which I am mightily glad of, and I hope together we may do it Thence I to my Lord Chancellor and discoursed his business with him I perceive, and he says plainly, that he will not have any man to have it in his power to say that my Lord Chancellor did contrive the wronging the King of his timber, but yet I perceive, he would be glad to have service done him therein, and told me Sir G Carteret hath told him that he and I would look after his business to see it done in the best manner for him.

20th With Mr Deane, discoursing upon the business of my Lord Chancellor’s timber, in Clarendon Park, and how to make a report therein without offending him, which at last I drew up, and hope it will please him But I would to God neither I nor he ever had any thing to have done with it! To White Hall, to the Committee for Fishing, but nothing done, it being a great day to-day there upon drawing at the Lottery⁴¹ of Sir Arthur Slingsby I got in and stood by the two Queenes and the Duchesse of York, and just behind