t Sir W. Coventry, and not visited
him so long, that I was resolved to get time enough, and so up, and with
W. Hewer, it being the first frosty day we have had this winter, did
walk it very well to W. Coventry's, and there alone with him an hour
talking of the Navy, which he pities, but says he hath no more mind to
be found meddling with the Navy, lest it should do it hurt, as well as
him, to be found to meddle with it. So to talk of general things: and
telling him that, with all these doings, he, I thanked God, stood yet;
he told me, Yes, but that he thought his continuing in, did arise from
his enemies my Lord of Buckingham and Arlington's seeing that he cared
so little if he was out; and he do protest to me that he is as weary of
the Treasury, as ever he was of the Navy. He tells me that he do believe
that their heat is over almost, as to the Navy, there being now none
left of the old stock but my Lord Brouncker, J. Minnes, who is ready
to leave the world, and myself. But he tells me that he do foresee very
great wants and great disorders by reason thereof; insomuch, as he is
represented to the King by his enemies as a melancholy man, and one that
is still prophesying ill events, so as the King called him Visionaire,
which being told him, he said he answered the party, that, whatever he
foresaw, he was not afeard as to himself of any thing, nor particularly
of my Lord Arlington, so much as the Duke of Buckingham hath been, nor
of the Duke of Buckingham, so much as my Lord Arlington at this time
is. But he tells me that he hath been always looked upon as a melancholy
man; whereas, others that would please the King do make him believe that
all is safe: and so he hath heard my Lord Chancellor openly say to the
King, that he was now a glorious prince, and in a glorious condition,
because of some one accident that hath happened, or some one rub that
hath been removed; "when," says W. Coventry, "they reckoned their one
good meal, without considering that there was nothing left in the cup
board for to-morrow." After this and other discourse of this kind, I
away, and walked to my Lord Sandwich's, and walked with him to White
Hall, and took a quarter of an hour's walk in the garden with him, which
I had not done for so much time with him since his coming into England;
and talking of his own condition, and particularly of the world's
talk of his going to Tangier. I find, if his conditions can be made
profitable and safe as to mo