there meeting Creed, I with him to the taverne in St. Clement's
Churchyard, where was Deane Wilkins, Dr. Whistler, Dr. Floyd, a divine
admitted, I perceive, this day, and other brave men; and there, among
other things of news, I do hear, that upon the reading of the House of
Commons's Reasons of the manner of their proceedings in the business
of my Lord Chancellor, the Reasons were so bad, that my Lord Bristoll
himself did declare that he would not stand to what he had, and did
still, advise the Lords to concur to, upon any of the Reasons of the
House of Commons; but if it was put to the question whether it should be
done on their Reasons, he would be against them; and indeed it seems the
Reasons--however they come to escape the House of Commons, which shews
how slightly the greatest matters are done in this world, and even in
Parliaments were none of them of strength, but the principle of them
untrue; they saying, that where any man is brought before a judge,
accused of Treason in general, without specifying the particular, the
judge do there constantly and is obliged to commit him. Whereas the
question being put by the Lords to my Lord Keeper, he said that quite
the contrary was true: and then, in the Sixth Article (I will get a copy
of them if I can) there are two or three things strangely asserted to
the diminishing of the King's power, as is said, at least things that
heretofore would not have been heard of. But then the question being put
among the Lords, as my Lord Bristoll advised, whether, upon the whole
matter and Reasons that had been laid before them, they would commit my
Lord Clarendon, it was carried five to one against it; there being but
three Bishops against him, of whom Cosens and Dr. Reynolds were two,
and I know not the third. This made the opposite Lords, as Bristoll
and Buckingham, so mad, that they declared and protested against it,
speaking very broad that there was mutiny and rebellion in the hearts of
the Lords, and that they desired they might enter their dissents,
which they did do, in great fury. So that upon the Lords sending to
the Commons, as I am told, to have a conference for them to give
their answer to the Commons's Reasons, the Commons did desire a free
conference: but the Lords do deny it; and the reason is, that they hold
not the Commons any Court, but that themselves only are a Court, and the
Chief Court of judicature, and therefore are not to dispute the laws
and method of their ow