my Lord Bridgewater. He tells me that
this is true, only the Duke of York do endeavour to hinder it, and the
Duke of York himself did tell him so: that the King and the Duke of York
do not in company disagree, but are friendly; but that there is a core in
their hearts, he doubts, which is not to be easily removed; for these men
do suffer only for their constancy to the Chancellor, or at least from the
King's ill-will against him: that they do now all they can to vilify the
clergy, and do accuse Rochester [Dolben] . . . and so do raise
scandals, all that is possible, against other of the Bishops. He do
suggest that something is intended for the Duke of Monmouth, and it may
be, against the Queene also: that we are in no manner sure against an
invasion the next year: that the Duke of Buckingham do rule all now, and
the Duke of York comes indeed to the Caball, but signifies little there.
That this new faction do not endure, nor the King, Sir W. Coventry; but
yet that he is so usefull that they cannot be without him; but that he is
not now called to the Caball. That my Lord of Buckingham, Bristoll, and
Arlington, do seem to agree in these things; but that they do not in their
hearts trust one another, but do drive several ways, all of them. In
short, he do bless himself that he is no more concerned in matters now;
and the hopes he hath of being at liberty, when his accounts are over, to
retire into the country. That he do give over the kingdom for wholly
lost. So after some other little discourse, I away, meeting with Mr.
Cooling. I with him by coach to the Wardrobe, where I never was since the
fire in Hatton Garden, but did not 'light: and he tells me he fears that
my Lord Sandwich will suffer much by Mr. Townsend's being untrue to him,
he being now unable to give the Commissioners of the Treasury an account
of his money received by many thousands of pounds, which I am troubled
for. Thence to the Old Exchange together, he telling me that he believes
there will be no such turning out of great men as is talked of, but that
it is only to fright people, but I do fear there may be such a thing
doing. He do mightily inveigh against the folly of the King to bring his
matters to wrack thus, and that we must all be undone without help. I met
with Cooling at the Temple-gate, after I had been at both my booksellers
and there laid out several pounds in books now against the new year. From
the 'Change (where I met with Captai