ve it would be a
better work for the King than going to church this morning, to send for
the Atturney Generall to meet at the Lord Treasurer's this afternoon and
to bring the thing to an issue, saying that himself, were he going to
the Sacrament, would not think he should offend God to leave it and
go to the ending this work, so much it is of moment to the King and
Kingdom. Hereupon the Duke of York said he would presently speak to the
King, and cause it to be done this afternoon. Having done here we broke
up; having done nothing almost though for all this, and by and by I met
Sir G. Carteret, and he is stark mad at what has passed this morning,
and I believe is heartily vexed with me: I said little, but I am sure
the King will suffer if some better care be not taken than he takes to
look after this business of money. So parted, and I by water home and to
dinner, W. Hewer with us, a good dinner and-very merry, my wife and I,
and after dinner to my chamber, to fit some things against: the Council
anon, and that being done away to White Hall by water, and thence to my
Lord Chancellor's, where I met with, and had much pretty discourse with,
one of the Progers's that knows me; and it was pretty to hear him tell
me, of his own accord, as a matter of no shame, that in Spayne he had
a pretty woman, his mistress, whom, when money grew scarce with him, he
was forced to leave, and afterwards heard how she and her husband lived
well, she being kept by an old fryer who used her as his whore; but
this, says he, is better than as our ministers do, who have wives that
lay up their estates, and do no good nor relieve any poor--no, not our
greatest prelates, and I think he is in the right for my part. Staid
till the Council was up, and attended the King and Duke of York round
the Park, and was asked several questions by both; but I was in pain,
lest they should ask me what I could not answer; as the Duke of York did
the value of the hull of the St. Patrick lately lost, which I told him I
could not presently answer; though I might have easily furnished myself
to answer all those questions. They stood a good while to see the
ganders and geese tread one another in the water, the goose being all
the while kept for a great while: quite under water, which was new to
me, but they did make mighty sport of it, saying (as the King did often)
"Now you shall see a marriage, between this and that," which did not
please me. They gone, by coach to my Lo