en they
are alone, is so base and sordid, that it makes the eares of the very
gentlemen of the back-stairs (I think he called them) to tingle to hear
it spoke in the King's hearing; and that must be very bad indeed. That
my Lord Digby did send to Lisbon a couple of priests, to search out what
they could against the Chancellor concerning the match, as to the point
of his knowing before-hand that the Queene was not capable of bearing
children; and that something was given her to make her so. But as
private as they were, when they came thither they were clapped up
prisoners. That my Lord Digby endeavours what he can to bring the
business into the House of Commons, hoping there to master the
Chancellor, there being many enemies of his there; but I hope the
contrary. That whereas the late King did mortgage 'Clarendon' to
somebody for L20,000, and this to have given it to the Duke of
Albemarle, and he sold it to my Lord Chancellor, whose title of Earldome
is fetched from thence; the King hath this day sent his order to the
Privy Seale for the payment of this L20,000 to my Lord Chancellor, to
clear the mortgage! Ireland in a very distracted condition about the
hard usage which the Protestants meet with, and the too good which the
Catholiques. And from altogether, God knows my heart, I expect nothing
but ruine can follow, unless things are better ordered in a little time.
He being gone my wife came and told me how kind my uncle Wight had been
to her to-day, and that though she says that all his kindness comes from
respect to her she discovers nothing but great civility from him, yet
but what she says he otherwise will tell me, but to-day he told her
plainly that had she a child it should be his heir, and that should I
or she want he would be a good friend to us, and did give my wife
instructions to consent to all his wife says at any time, she being a
pettish woman, which argues a design I think he has of keeping us in
with his wife in order to our good sure, and he declaring her jealous
of him that so he dares not come to see my wife as otherwise he would do
and will endeavour to do. It looks strange putting all together, but yet
I am in hopes he means well. My aunt also is mighty open to my wife and
tells her mighty plain how her husband did intend to double her portion
to her at his death as a jointure. That he will give presently L100 to
her niece Mary and a good legacy at his death, and it seems did as much
to the other sis