is done, but with sorrow to my eyes. Then home, and
got my wife to read to me out of Fuller's Church History, when by and by
comes Captain Cocke, who sat with me all the evening, talking, and I find
by him, as by all others, that we are like to expect great confusions, and
most of our discourse was the same, and did agree with that the last
night, particularly that about the difference between the King and the
Duke of York which is like to be. He tells me that he hears that Sir W.
Coventry was, a little before the Duke of York fell sick, with the Duke of
York in his closet, and fell on his knees, and begged his pardon for what
he hath done to my Lord Chancellor; but this I dare not soon believe. But
he tells me another thing, which he says he had from the person himself
who spoke with the Duke of Buckingham, who, he says, is a very sober and
worthy man, that he did lately speak with the Duke of Buckingham about his
greatness now with the King, and told him-"But, sir, these things that the
King do now, in suffering the Parliament to do all this, you know are not
fit for the King to suffer, and you know how often you have said to me
that the King was a weak man, and unable to govern, but to be governed,
and that you could command him as you listed; why do you suffer him to go
on in these things?"--"Why," says the Duke of Buckingham, "I do suffer him
to do this, that I may hereafter the better command him." This he swears
to me the person himself to whom the Duke of Buckingham said this did tell
it him, and is a man of worth, understanding, and credit. He told me one
odd passage by the Duke of Albemarle, speaking how hasty a man he is, and
how for certain he would have killed Sir W. Coventry, had he met him in a
little time after his shewing his letter in the House. He told me that a
certain lady, whom he knows, did tell him that, she being certainly
informed that some of the Duke of Albemarle's family did say that the Earl
of Torrington was a bastard, [she] did think herself concerned to tell the
Duke of Albemarle of it, and did first tell the Duchesse, and was going to
tell the old man, when the Duchesse pulled her back by the sleeve, and
hindered her, swearing to her that if he should hear it, he would
certainly kill the servant that should be found to have said it, and
therefore prayed her to hold her peace. One thing more he told me, which
is, that Garraway is come to town, and is thinking how to bring the House
t