Diary, December 1667 | Page 8

perceive, were prepared for it. Here I heard Mr. Gawden speak to the
King and Council upon some business of his before them, but did it so
well, in so good words and to the purpose, that I could never have
expected from a man of no greater learning. So went away, and in the
Lobby met Mr. Sawyer, my old chamber fellow, and stayed and had an
hour's discourse of old things with him, and I perceive he do very well
in the world, and is married he tells me and hath a child. Then home
and to the office, where Captain Cocke come to me; and, among other
discourse, tells me that he is told that an impeachment against Sir W.
Coventry will be brought in very soon. He tells me, that even those that
are against my Lord Chancellor and the Court, in the House, do not
trust nor agree one with another. He tells me that my Lord Chancellor
went away about ten at night, on Saturday last; and took boat at
Westminster, and thence by a vessel to Callis, where he believes he
now is: and that the Duke of York and Mr. Wren knew of it, and that
himself did know of it on Sunday morning: that on Sunday his coach,
and people about it, went to Twittenham, and the world thought that he
had been there: that nothing but this unhappy paper hath undone him

and that he doubts that this paper hath lost him everywhere that his
withdrawing do reconcile things so far as, he thinks the heat of their
fury will be over, and that all will be made well between the two [royal]
brothers: that Holland do endeavour to persuade the King of France to
break peace with us: that the Dutch will, without doubt, have sixty sail
of ships out the next year; so knows not what will become of us, but
hopes the Parliament will find money for us to have a fleete. He gone, I
home, and there my wife made an end to me of Sir K. Cotton's
discourse of warr, which is indeed a very fine book. So to supper and to
bed. Captain Cocke did this night tell me also, among other discourses,
that he did believe that there are jealousies in some of the House at this
day against the Commissioners of the Treasury, that by their good
husbandry they will bring the King to be out of debt and to save money,
and so will not be in need of the Parliament, and then do what he please,
which is a very good piece of news that there is such a thing to be
hoped, which they would be afeard of.

7th. All the morning at the office, and at noon home to dinner with my
clerks, and while we were at dinner comes Willet's aunt to see her and
my wife; she is a very fine widow and pretty handsome, but
extraordinary well carriaged and speaks very handsomely and with
extraordinary understanding, so as I spent the whole afternoon in her
company with my wife, she understanding all the things of note
touching plays and fashions and Court and everything and speaks rarely,
which pleases me mightily, and seems to love her niece very well, and
was so glad (which was pretty odde) that since she came hither her
breasts begin to swell, she being afeard before that she would have
none, which was a pretty kind of content she gave herself. She tells us
that Catelin is likely to be soon acted, which I am glad to hear, but it is
at the King's House. But the King's House is at present and hath for
some days been silenced upon some difference [between] Hart and
Moone. She being gone I to the office, and there late doing business,
and so home to supper and to bed. Only this evening I must remember
that my Lady Batten sent for me, and it was to speak to me before her
overseers about my bargain with Sir W. Batten about the prize, to
which I would give no present answer, but am well enough contented
that they begin the discourse of it, and so away to the office again, and

then home to supper and to bed. Somebody told me this, that they hear
that Thomson, with the wooden leg, and Wildman, the Fifth-Monarchy
man, a great creature of the Duke of Buckingham's, are in nomination
to be Commissioners, among others, upon the Bill of Accounts.

8th (Lord's day). All the morning at my chamber doing something
towards the settling of my papers and accounts, which have been out of
order a great while. At noon to dinner, where W. How with us,