King
Charles's to L10,000, do now cost us above L100,000, besides the great
charge of the monarchy, as the Duke of York L100,000 of it, and other
limbs of the Royal family, and the guards, which, for his part, says he,
"I would have all disbanded, for the King is not the better by them, and
would be as safe without them; for we have had no rebellions to make him
fear anything." But, contrarily, he is now raising of a land-army, which
this Parliament and kingdom will never bear; besides, the commanders they
put over them are such as will never be able to raise or command them; but
the design is, and the Duke of York, he says, is hot for it, to have a
land-army, and so to make the government like that of France, but our
princes have not brains, or at least care and forecast enough to do that.
It is strange how he and every body do now-a-days reflect upon Oliver, and
commend him, what brave things he did, and made all the neighbour princes
fear him; while here a prince, come in with all the love and prayers and
good liking of his people, who have given greater signs of loyalty and
willingness to serve him with their estates than ever was done by any
people, hath lost all so soon, that it is a miracle what way a man could
devise to lose so much in so little time. Thence he set me down at my
Lord Crew's and away, and I up to my Lord, where Sir Thomas Crew was, and
by and by comes Mr. Caesar, who teaches my Lady's page upon the lute, and
here Mr. Caesar did play some very fine things indeed, to my great liking.
Here was my Lord Hinchingbroke also, newly come from Hinchingbroke, where
all well, but methinks I knowing in what case he stands for money by his
demands to me and the report Mr. Moore gives of the management of the
family, makes me, God forgive me! to contemn him, though I do really
honour and pity them, though they deserve it not, that have so good an
estate and will live beyond it. To dinner, and very good discourse with
my Lord. And after dinner Sir Thomas Crew and I alone, and he tells me
how I am mightily in esteem with the Parliament; there being harangues
made in the House to the Speaker, of Mr. Pepys's readiness and civility to
show them every thing, which I am at this time very glad of. He tells me
the news of the King and my Lady Castlemayne which I have wrote already
this day, and the design of the Parliament to look into things very well
before they give any more money, and I pray God they may. Thence,