ting: the Duke of York, Duke of Albemarle, and several
other Lords of the Commission of Tangier. And there I did present a
state of my accounts, and managed them well; and my Lord Chancellor did
say, though he was, in other things, in an ill humour, that no man in
England was of more method, nor made himself better understood than
myself. But going, after the business of money was over, to other
businesses, of settling the garrison, he did fling out, and so did the
Duke of York, two or three severe words touching my Lord Bellasses:
that he would have no Governor come away from thence in less than three
years; no, though his lady were with child. "And," says the Duke of
York, "there should be no Governor continue so, longer than three
years." "Nor," says Lord Arlington, "when our rules are once set,
and upon good judgment declared, no Governor should offer to alter
them."--"We must correct the many things that are amiss there; for,"
says the Lord Chancellor, "you must think we do hear of more things
amisse than we are willing to speak before our friends' faces." My Lord
Bellasses would not take notice of their reflecting on him, and did
wisely, but there were also many reflections on him. Thence away by
coach to Sir H. Cholmly and Fitzgerald and Creed, setting down the two
latter at the New Exchange. And Sir H. Cholmly and I to the Temple, and
there walked in the dark in the walks talking of newes; and he surprises
me with the certain newes that the King did last night in Council
declare his being in treaty with the Dutch: that they had sent him
a very civil letter, declaring that, if nobody but themselves were
concerned, they would not dispute the place of treaty, but leave it to
his choice; but that, being obliged to satisfy therein a Prince of equal
quality with himself, they must except any place in England or Spayne.
And so the King hath chosen the Hague, and thither hath chose my Lord
Hollis and Harry Coventry to go Embassadors to treat; which is so mean
a thing, as all the world will believe, that we do go to beg a peace of
them, whatever we pretend. And it seems all our Court are mightily for
a peace, taking this to be the time to make one, while the King hath
money, that he may save something of what the Parliament hath given
him to put him out of debt, so as he may need the help of no more
Parliaments, as to the point of money: but our debt is so great, and
expence daily so encreased, that I believe little of the