very high to the King that he
might not be sent thither, but to the Tower, this being done only in
contempt to him. This news of Sir W. Coventry did strike me to the
heart, and with reason, for by this and my Lord of Ormond's business,
I do doubt that the Duke of Buckingham will be so flushed, that he will
not stop at any thing, but be forced to do any thing now, as thinking
it not safe to end here; and, Sir W. Coventry being gone, the King will
have never a good counsellor, nor the Duke of York any sure friend to
stick to him; nor any good man will be left to advise what is good.
This, therefore, do heartily trouble me as any thing that ever I heard.
So up into the House, and met with several people; but the Committee
did not meet; and the whole House I find full of this business of Sir W.
Coventry's, and most men very sensible of the cause and effects of it.
So, meeting with my Lord Bellassis, he told me the particulars of this
matter; that it arises about a quarrel which Sir W. Coventry had with
the Duke of Buckingham about a design between the Duke and Sir Robert
Howard, to bring him into a play at the King's house, which W. Coventry
not enduring, did by H. Saville send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham,
that he had a desire to speak with him. Upon which, the Duke of
Buckingham did bid Holmes, his champion ever since my Lord Shrewsbury's
business,

[Charles II. wrote to his sister (Henrietta, Duchess of Orleans), on
March 7th, 1669: "I am not sorry that Sir Will. Coventry has given
me this good occasion by sending my Lord of Buckingham a challenge
to turne him out of the Councill. I do intend to turn him allso out
of the Treasury. The truth of it is, he has been a troublesome man
in both places and I am well rid of him" (Julia Cartwright's
"Madame," 1894, p. 283).]

go to him to know the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any
but himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of Buckingham,
and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of honour, and was
sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing him, and that he had
a desire of satisfaction, and would fight with him. But that here they
were interrupted by my Lord Chamberlain's coming in, who was commanded
to go to bid the Duke of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having
discovered it. He told me that the King did last night, at the Council,
ask the Duke of Buckingham, upon his honour, whether he