the Duke of York, "there should be no Governor
continue so, longer than three years." "Nor," says Lord Arlington, "when
our rules are once set, and upon good judgment declared, no Governor
should offer to alter them."--"We must correct the many things that are
amiss there; for," says the Lord Chancellor, "you must think we do hear of
more things amisse than we are willing to speak before our friends'
faces." My Lord Bellasses would not take notice of their reflecting on
him, and did wisely, but there were also many reflections on him. Thence
away by coach to Sir H. Cholmly and Fitzgerald and Creed, setting down the
two latter at the New Exchange. And Sir H. Cholmly and I to the Temple,
and there walked in the dark in the walks talking of newes; and he
surprises me with the certain newes that the King did last night in
Council declare his being in treaty with the Dutch: that they had sent him
a very civil letter, declaring that, if nobody but themselves were
concerned, they would not dispute the place of treaty, but leave it to his
choice; but that, being obliged to satisfy therein a Prince of equal
quality with himself, they must except any place in England or Spayne.
And so the King hath chosen the Hague, and thither hath chose my Lord
Hollis and Harry Coventry to go Embassadors to treat; which is so mean a
thing, as all the world will believe, that we do go to beg a peace of
them, whatever we pretend. And it seems all our Court are mightily for a
peace, taking this to be the time to make one, while the King hath money,
that he may save something of what the Parliament hath given him to put
him out of debt, so as he may need the help of no more Parliaments, as to
the point of money: but our debt is so great, and expence daily so
encreased, that I believe little of the money will be saved between this
and the making of the peace up. But that which troubles me most is, that
we have chosen a son of Secretary Morris, a boy never used to any
business, to go Embassador [Secretary] to the Embassy, which shows how,
little we are sensible of the weight of the business upon us. God
therefore give a good end to it, for I doubt it, and yet do much more
doubt the issue of our continuing the war, for we are in no wise fit for
it, and yet it troubles me to think what Sir H. Cholmly says, that he
believes they will not give us any reparation for what we have suffered by
the war, nor put us into any better condition than what we we