nd to the judges to be
answered, and did so; who have, my Lord tells me, met three times about
it, not knowing what answer to give to it; and they have met this week,
doing nothing but expecting the solution of the judges in this point. My
Lord tells me he do believe this Commission will do more hurt than good;
it may undo some accounts, if these men shall think fit; but it can
never clear an account, for he must come into the Exchequer for all
this. Besides, it is a kind of inquisition that hath seldom ever been
granted in England; and he believes it will never, besides, give any
satisfaction to the People or Parliament, but be looked upon as a
forced, packed business of the King, especially if these Parliament-men
that are of it shall not concur with them: which he doubts they will
not, and, therefore, wishes much that the King would lay hold of this
fit occasion, and let the Commission fall. Then to talk of my Lord
Sandwich, whom my Lord Crew hath a great desire might get to be Lord
Treasurer if the present Lord should die, as it is believed he will,
in a little time; and thinks he can have no competitor but my Lord
Arlington, who, it is given out, desires it: but my Lord thinks it is
not so, for that the being Secretary do keep him a greater interest with
the King than the other would do at least, do believe, that if my Lord
would surrender him his Wardrobe place, it would be a temptation to
Arlington to assist my Lord in getting the Treasurer's. I did object
to my Lord [Crew] that it would be no place of content, nor safety, nor
honour for my Lord, the State being so indigent as it is, and the [King]
so irregular, and those about him, that my Lord must be forced to part
with anything to answer his warrants; and that, therefore, I do believe
the King had rather have a man that may be one of his vicious caball,
than a sober man that will mind the publick, that so they may sit at
cards and dispose of the revenue of the kingdom. This my Lord was moved
at, and said he did not indeed know how to answer it, and bid me think
of it; and so said he himself would also do. He do mightily cry out of
the bad management of our monies, the King having had so much given him;
and yet, when the Parliament do find that the King should have L900,000
in his purse by the best account of issues they have yet seen, yet we
should report in the Navy a debt due from the King of L900,000; which, I
did confess, I doubted was true in the first, an