ertain how the Commission for the Treasury is disposed of:
viz., to Duke of Albemarle, Lord Ashly, Sir W. Coventry, Sir John
Duncomb, and Sir Thomas Clifford: at which, he says, all the whole Court
is disturbed; it having been once concluded otherwise into the other
hands formerly mentioned in yesterday's notes, but all of a sudden the
King's choice was changed, and these are to be the men; the first of
which is only for a puppet to give honour to the rest. He do presage
that these men will make it their business to find faults in the
management of the late Lord Treasurer, and in discouraging the bankers:
but I am, whatever I in compliance do say to him, of another mind, and
my heart is very glad of it, for I do expect they will do much good, and
that it is the happiest thing that hath appeared to me for the good of
the nation since the King come in. Thence to St. James's, and up to the
Duke of York; and there in his chamber Sir W. Coventry did of himself
take notice of this business of the Treasury, wherein he is in the
Commission, and desired that I would be thinking of any thing fit for
him to be acquainted with for the lessening of charge and bettering of
our credit, and what our expence bath been since the King's coming home,
which he believes will be one of the first things they shall enquire
into: which I promised him, and from time to time, which he desires,
will give him an account of what I can think of worthy his knowledge. I
am mighty glad of this opportunity of professing my joy to him in what
choice the King hath made, and the hopes I have that it will save the
kingdom from perishing and how it do encourage me to take pains again,
after my having through despair neglected it! which he told me of
himself that it was so with him, that he had given himself up to more
ease than ever he expected, and that his opinion of matters was so bad,
that there was no publick employment in the kingdom should have been
accepted by him but this which the King hath now given him; and therein
he is glad, in hopes of the service he may do therein; and in my
conscience he will. So into the Duke of York's closet; and there, among
other things, Sir W. Coventry did take notice of what he told me the
other day, about a report of Commissioner Pett's dealing for timber
in the Navy, and selling it to us in other names; and, besides his own
proof, did produce a paper I had given him this morning about it, in the
case of Widow Murford and