where I left my wife, and I to Sir W. Coventry, and
there had the opportunity of talk with him, who I perceive do not like our
business of the change of the Treasurer's hand, and he tells me that he is
entered the lists with this new Treasurer before the King in taking away
the business of the Victualling money from his hand, and the Regiment, and
declaring that he hath no right to the 3d. per by his patent, for that it
was always heretofore given by particular Privy Seal, and that the King
and Council just upon his coming in had declared L2000 a year sufficient.
This makes him angry, but Sir W. Coventry I perceive cares not, but do
every day hold up his head higher and higher, and this day I have received
an order from the Commissioners of the Treasury to pay no more pensions
for Tangier, which I am glad of, and he tells me they do make bold with
all things of that kind. Thence I to White Hall, and in the street I
spied Mrs. Borroughs, and took a means to meet and salute her and talk a
little, and then parted, and I home by coach, taking up my wife at the
Exchange, and there I am mightily pleased with this Mrs. Smith, being a
very pleasant woman. So home, and resolved upon going to Epsum tomorrow,
only for ayre, and got Mrs. Turner to go with us, and so home and to
supper (after having been at the office) and to bed. It is an odd and sad
thing to say, that though this be a peace worse than we had before, yet
every body's fear almost is, that the Dutch will not stand by their
promise, now the King hath consented to all they would have. And yet no
wise man that I meet with, when he comes to think of it, but wishes, with
all his heart, a war; but that the King is not a man to be trusted with
the management of it. It was pleasantly said by a man in this City, a
stranger, to one that told him that the peace was concluded, "Well," says
he, "and have you a peace?"--"Yes," says the other.--"Why, then," says he,
"hold your peace!" partly reproaching us with the disgracefulness of it,
that it is not fit to be mentioned; and next, that we are not able to make
the Dutch keep it, when they have a mind to break it. Sir Thomas Crew
yesterday, speaking of the King of France, how great a man he is, why,
says he, all the world thought that when the last Pope died, there would
have been such bandying between the Crowns of France and Spain, whereas,
when he was asked what he would have his ministers at Rome do, why, says
he, let them c