ounsel
for the Duke of York at this time to go out of the way; but, Lord! what a
pass are all our matters come to! At noon by appointment to Cursitor's
Alley, in Chancery Lane, to meet Captain Cocke and some other creditors of
the Navy, and their Counsel, Pemberton, North, Offly, and Charles Porter;
and there dined, and talked of the business of the assignments on the
Exchequer of the L1,250,000 on behalf of our creditors; and there I do
perceive that the Counsel had heard of my performance in the
Parliamenthouse lately, and did value me and what I said accordingly. At
dinner we had a great deal of good discourse about Parliament: their
number being uncertain, and always at the will of the King to encrease, as
he saw reason to erect a new borough. But all concluded that the bane of
the Parliament hath been the leaving off the old custom of the places
allowing wages to those that served them in Parliament, by which they
chose men that understood their business and would attend it, and they
could expect an account from, which now they cannot; and so the Parliament
is become a company of men unable to give account for the interest of the
place they serve for. Thence, the meeting of the Counsel with the King's
Counsel this afternoon being put off by reason of the death of Serjeant
Maynard's lady, I to White Hall, where the Parliament was to wait on the
King; and they did: and it was to be told that he did think fit to tell
them that they might expect to be adjourned at Whitsuntide, and that they
might make haste to raise their money; but this, I fear, will displease
them, who did expect to sit as long as they pleased, and whether this be
done by the King upon some new counsel I know not, for the King must be
beholding to them till they do settle this business of money. Great talk
to-day as if Beaufort was come into the Channel with about 20 ships, and
it makes people apprehensive, but yet the Parliament do not stir a bit
faster in the business of money. Here I met with Creed, expecting a
Committee of Tangier, but the Committee met not, so he and I up and down,
having nothing to do, and particularly to the New Cockpit by the King's
Gate in Holborne, but seeing a great deal of rabble we did refuse to go
in, but took coach and to Hide Park, and there till all the tour was
empty, and so he and I to the Lodge in the Park, and there eat and drank
till it was night, and then carried him to White Hall, having had
abundance of ex