He [Sir George Carteret] tells me, as to news, that the
peace is now confirmed, and all that over. He says it was a very unhappy
motion in the House the other day about the land-army; for, whether the
King hath a mind of his own to do the thing desired or no, his doing it
will be looked upon as a thing done only in fear of the Parliament. He
says that the Duke of York is suspected to be the great man that is for
raising of this army, and bringing things to be commanded by an army;
but he believes that he is wronged, and says that he do know that he is
wronged therein. He do say that the Court is in a way to ruin all for
their pleasures; and says that he himself hath once taken the liberty to
tell the King the necessity of having, at least, a show of religion in
the Government, and sobriety; and that it was that, that did set up and
keep up Oliver, though he was the greatest rogue in the world, and that
it is so fixed in the nature of the common Englishman that it will not
out of him. He tells me that while all should be labouring to settle the
kingdom, they are at Court all in factions, some for and others against
my Lord Chancellor, and another for and against another man, and the
King adheres to no man, but this day delivers himself up to this, and
the next to that, to the ruin of himself and business; that he is at
the command of any woman like a slave, though he be the best man to the
Queene in the world, with so much respect, and never lies a night from
her: but yet cannot command himself in the presence of a woman he likes.
Having had this discourse, I parted, and home to dinner, and thence to
the office all the afternoon to my great content very busy. It raining
this day all day to our great joy, it having not rained, I think, this
month before, so as the ground was everywhere so burned and dry as could
be; and no travelling in the road or streets in London, for dust. At
night late home to supper and to bed.

28th (Lord's day). Up and to my chamber, where all the morning close,
to draw up a letter to Sir W. Coventry upon the tidings of peace, taking
occasion, before I am forced to it, to resign up to his Royall Highness
my place of the Victualling, and to recommend myself to him by promise
of doing my utmost to improve this peace in the best manner we may, to
save the kingdom from ruin. By noon I had done this to my good content,
and then with my wife all alone to dinner, and so to my chamber all the
afternoon to