right
in the nation?" The other said that he did believe that many things
would be mended: "But," says my Lord, "will you and the rest of you be
contented to be hanged, if you do not redeem all our misfortunes and
set all right, if the power be put into your hands?" The other answered,
"No, I would not undertake that:"--"Why, then," says my Lord, "I and the
rest of us that you are labouring to put out, will be contented to be
hanged, if we do not recover all that is past, if the King will put the
power into our hands, and adhere wholly to our advice;" which saying as
it was severe, so generally people have so little opinion of those
that are likely to be uppermost that they do mightily commend my Lord
Anglesey for this saying. From the Vice-Chamberlain up and down the
house till Chapel done, and then did speak with several that I had a
mind to, and so intending to go home, my Lady Carteret saw and called me
out of her window, and so would have me home with her to Lincoln's Inn
Fields to dinner, and there we met with my Lord Brereton, and several
other strangers, to dine there; and I find him a very sober and serious,
able man, and was in discourse too hard for the Bishop of Chester,
who dined there; and who, above all books lately wrote, commending the
matter and style of a late book, called "The Causes of the Decay of
Piety," I do resolve at his great commendation to buy it. Here dined
also Sir Philip Howard, a Barkeshire Howard, whom I did once hear swear
publickly and loud in the matted gallery that he had not been at a wench
in so long a time. He did take occasion to tell me at the table that I
have got great ground in the Parliament, by my ready answers to all that
was asked me there about the business of Chatham, and they would never
let me be out of employment, of which I made little; but was glad to
hear him, as well as others, say it. And he did say also, relating to
Commissioner Pett, that he did not think that he was guilty of anything
like a fault, that he was either able or concerned to amend, but only
the not carrying up of the ships higher, he meant; but he said, three or
four miles lower down, to Rochester Bridge, which is a strange piece of
ignorance in a Member of Parliament at such a time as this, and after so
many examinations in the house of this business; and did boldly declare
that he did think the fault to lie in my Lord Middleton, who had the
power of the place, to secure the boats that were made