Court, knowing that the
King cannot take away his profits during his life, and therefore do not
value it.

[This character of Archbishop Sheldon does not tally with the
scandal that Pepys previously reported of him. Burnet has some
passages of importance on this in his "Own Time," Book II. He
affirms that Charles's final decision to throw over Clarendon was
caused by the Chancellor's favouring Mrs. Stewart's marriage with
the Duke of Richmond. The king had a conference with Sheldon on the
removal of Clarendon, but could not convert the archbishop to his
view. Lauderdale told Burnet that he had an account of the
interview from the king. "The king and Sheldon had gone into such
expostulations upon it that from that day forward Sheldon could
never recover the king's confidence."]

Thence I home, and there to my office and wrote a letter to the Duke of
York from myself about my clerks extraordinary, which I have employed this
war, to prevent my being obliged to answer for what others do without any
reason demand allowance for, and so by this means I will be accountable
for none but my own, and they shall not have them but upon the same terms
that I have, which is a profession that with these helps they will answer
to their having performed their duties of their places. So to dinner, and
then away by coach to the Temple, and then for speed by water thence to
White Hall, and there to our usual attending the Duke of York, and did
attend him, where among other things I did present and lodge my letter,
and did speed in it as I could wish. Thence home with Sir W. Pen and
Comm. Middleton by coach, and there home and to cards with my wife, W.
Hewer, Mercer, and the girle, and mighty pleasant all the evening, and so
to bed with my wife, which I have not done since her being ill for three
weeks or thereabouts.

28th. Up, and to the office, where busy all the morning, at noon home,
and there to dinner with my clerks and Mr. Pelting, and had a very good
dinner, among others a haunch of venison boiled, and merry we were, and I
rose soon from dinner, and with my wife and girle to the King's house, and
there saw "The Mad Couple," which is but an ordinary play; but only Nell's
and Hart's mad parts are most excellently done, but especially hers: which
makes it a miracle to me to think how ill she do any serious part, as, the
other day, just like a fool or changeling; and, in a