nd
when I come home, and find Mr. Goodgroome, my wife's singing-master, there
I did soundly rattle him for neglecting her so much as he hath done--she
not having learned three songs these three months and more. After dinner
my wife abroad with Mrs. Turner, and I to the office, where busy all the
afternoon, and in the evening by coach to St. James's, and there met Sir
W. Coventry; and he and I walked in the Park an hour. And then to his
chamber, where he read to me the heads of the late great dispute between
him and the rest of the Commissioners of the Treasury, and our new
Treasurer of the Navy where they have overthrown him the last Wednesday,
in the great dispute touching his having the payment of the Victualler,
which is now settled by Council that he is not to have it and, indeed,
they have been most just, as well as most severe and bold, in the doing
this against a man of his quality; but I perceive he do really make no
difference between any man. He tells me this day it is supposed the peace
is ratified at Bredah, and all that matter over. We did talk of many
retrenchments of charge of the Navy which he will put in practice, and
every where else; though, he tells me, he despairs of being able to do
what ought to be done for the saving of the kingdom, which I tell him, as
indeed all the world is almost in hopes of, upon the proceeding of these
gentlemen for the regulating of the Treasury, it being so late, and our
poverty grown so great, that they want where to set their feet, to begin
to do any thing. He tells me how weary he hath for this year and a half
been of the war; and how in the Duke of York's bedchamber, at Christ
Church, at Oxford, when the Court was there, he did labour to persuade the
Duke to fling off the care of the Navy, and get it committed to other
hands; which, if he had done, would have been much to his honour, being
just come home with so much honour from sea as he did. I took notice of
the sharp letter he wrote, which he sent us to read yesterday, to Sir
Edward Spragg, where he is very plain about his leaving his charge of the
ships at Gravesend, when the enemy come last up, and several other things:
a copy whereof I have kept. But it is done like a most worthy man; and he
says it is good, now and then, to tell these gentlemen their duties, for
they need it. And it seems, as he tells me, all our Knights are fallen
out one with another, he, and Jenings, and Hollis, and (his words were)
they