in.
29th. Up, being visited very early by Creed newly come from
Hinchingbrooke, who went thither without my knowledge, and I believe only
to save his being taxed by the Poll Bill. I did give him no very good
countenance nor welcome, but took occasion to go forth and walked (he with
me) to St. Dunstan's, and thence I to Sir W. Coventry's, where a good
while with him, and I think he pretty kind, but that the nature of our
present condition affords not matter for either of us to be pleased with
any thing. We discoursed of Carcasse, whose Lord, he tells me, do make
complaints that his clerk should be singled out, and my Lord Berkeley do
take his part. So he advises we would sum up all we have against him and
lay it before the Duke of York; he condemned my Lord Bruncker. Thence to
Sir G. Carteret, and there talked a little while about office business,
and thence by coach home, in several places paying my debts in order to my
evening my accounts this month, and thence by and by to White Hall again
to Sir G. Carteret to dinner, where very good company and discourse, and I
think it my part to keep in there now more than ordinary because of the
probability of my Lord's coming soon home. Our Commissioners for the
treaty set out this morning betimes down the river. Here I hear that the
Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of York's son, is very sick; and my Lord
Treasurer very bad of the stone, and hath been so some days. After dinner
Sir G. Carteret and I alone in his closet an hour or more talking of my
Lord Sandwich's coming home, which, the peace being likely to be made
here, he expects, both for my Lord's sake and his own (whose interest he
wants) it will be best for him to be at home, where he will be well
received by the King; he is sure of his service well accepted, though the
business of Spain do fall by this peace. He tells me my Lord Arlington
hath done like a gentleman by him in all things. He says, if my Lord
[Sandwich] were here, he were the fittest man to be Lord Treasurer of any
man in England; and he thinks it might be compassed; for he confesses that
the King's matters do suffer through the inability of this man, who is
likely to die, and he will propound him to the King. It will remove him
from his place at sea, and the King will have a good place to bestow. He
says to me, that he could wish, when my Lord comes, that he would think
fit to forbear playing, as a thing below him, and which will lessen him,
as it
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