f study. My wife this night troubled at my
leaving her alone so much and keeping her within doors, which indeed I
do not well nor wisely in.

29th. Up, being visited very early by Creed newly come from
Hinchingbrooke, who went thither without my knowledge, and I believe
only to save his being taxed by the Poll Bill. I did give him no very
good countenance nor welcome, but took occasion to go forth and walked
(he with me) to St. Dunstan's, and thence I to Sir W. Coventry's, where
a good while with him, and I think he pretty kind, but that the nature
of our present condition affords not matter for either of us to be
pleased with any thing. We discoursed of Carcasse, whose Lord, he tells
me, do make complaints that his clerk should be singled out, and my Lord
Berkeley do take his part. So he advises we would sum up all we have
against him and lay it before the Duke of York; he condemned my Lord
Bruncker. Thence to Sir G. Carteret, and there talked a little while
about office business, and thence by coach home, in several places
paying my debts in order to my evening my accounts this month, and
thence by and by to White Hall again to Sir G. Carteret to dinner, where
very good company and discourse, and I think it my part to keep in there
now more than ordinary because of the probability of my Lord's coming
soon home. Our Commissioners for the treaty set out this morning betimes
down the river. Here I hear that the Duke of Cambridge, the Duke of
York's son, is very sick; and my Lord Treasurer very bad of the stone,
and hath been so some days. After dinner Sir G. Carteret and I alone in
his closet an hour or more talking of my Lord Sandwich's coming home,
which, the peace being likely to be made here, he expects, both for my
Lord's sake and his own (whose interest he wants) it will be best for
him to be at home, where he will be well received by the King; he is
sure of his service well accepted, though the business of Spain do fall
by this peace. He tells me my Lord Arlington hath done like a gentleman
by him in all things. He says, if my Lord [Sandwich] were here, he
were the fittest man to be Lord Treasurer of any man in England; and he
thinks it might be compassed; for he confesses that the King's matters
do suffer through the inability of this man, who is likely to die, and
he will propound him to the King. It will remove him from his place at
sea, and the King will have a good place to bestow. He says to me, that
he coul