of Buckingham did himself, some time since, desire to join with him,
of all men in England, and did bid him propound to himself to be Chief
Minister of State, saying that he would bring it about, but that he
refused to have anything to do with any faction; and that the Duke of
Buckingham did, within these few days, say that, of all men in England,
he would have chosen W. Coventry to have joined entire with. He tells me
that he fears their prevailing against the Duke of York; and that their
violence will force them to it, as being already beyond his pardon. He
repeated to me many examples of challenging of Privy-Councillors and
others; but never any proceeded against with that severity which he is,
it never amounting to others to more than a little confinement. He tells
me of his being weary of the Treasury, and of the folly, ambition, and
desire of popularity of Sir Thomas Clifford; and yet the rudeness of his
tongue and passions when angry. This and much more discourse being
over I with great pleasure come home and to the office, where all the
morning, and at noon home to dinner, and thence to the office again,
where very hard at work all the afternoon till night, and then home to
my wife to read to me, and to bed, my cold having been now almost for
three days quite gone from me. This day my wife made it appear to me
that my late entertainment this week cost me above L12, an expence which
I am almost ashamed of, though it is but once in a great while, and is
the end for which, in the most part, we live, to have such a merry day
once or twice in a man's life.

7th (Lord's day). Up, and to the office, busy till church time, and then
to church, where a dull sermon, and so home to dinner, all alone with my
wife, and then to even my Journall to this day, and then to the Tower,
to see Sir W. Coventry, who had H. Jermin and a great many more with
him, and more, while I was there, come in; so that I do hear that there
was not less than sixty coaches there yesterday, and the other day;
which I hear also that there is a great exception taken at, by the King
and the Duke of Buckingham, but it cannot be helped. Thence home, and
with our coach out to Suffolk Street, to see my cozen Pepys, but neither
the old nor young at home. So to my cozen Turner's, and there staid
talking a little, and then back to Suffolk Street, where they not being
yet come home I to White Hall, and there hear that there are letters
come from Sir Thomas Allen