emands of
every one of them. He told me that to his knowledge (being present at
every meeting at the Treaty at the Isle of Wight), that the old King
did confess himself overruled and convinced in his judgement against the
Bishopps, and would have suffered and did agree to exclude the service
out of the churches, nay his own chappell; and that he did always say,
that this he did not by force, for that he would never abate one inch
by any vyolence; but what he did was out of his reason and judgement. He
tells me that the King by name, with all his dignities, is prayed for by
them that they call Fanatiques, as heartily and powerfully as in any of
the other churches that are thought better: and that, let the King think
what he will, it is them that must helpe him in the day of warr. For as
they are the most, so generally they are the most substantial sort of
people, and the soberest; and did desire me to observe it to my Lord
Sandwich, among other things, that of all the old army now you cannot
see a man begging about the street; but what? You shall have this
captain turned a shoemaker; the lieutenant, a baker; this a brewer; that
a haberdasher; this common soldier, a porter; and every man in his apron
and frock, &c., as if they never had done anything else: whereas
the others go with their belts and swords, swearing and cursing, and
stealing; running into people's houses, by force oftentimes, to carry
away something; and this is the difference between the temper of one
and the other; and concludes (and I think with some reason,) that the
spirits of the old parliament soldiers are so quiett and contented with
God's providences, that the King is safer from any evil meant him by
them one thousand times more than from his own discontented Cavalier.
And then to the publique management of business: it is done, as he
observes, so loosely and so carelessly, that the kingdom can never be
happy with it, every man looking after himself, and his owne lust and
luxury; among other things he instanced in the business of money, he do
believe that half of what money the Parliament gives the King is not so
much as gathered. And to the purpose he told me how the Bellamys (who
had some of the Northern counties assigned them for their debt for the
petty warrant victualling) have often complained to him that they cannot
get it collected, for that nobody minds, or, if they do, they won't pay
it in. Whereas (which is a very remarkable thing,) he ha