out her time with her master and
other counsels, but she told me she could not do it, for it was her
fortune to have this man, though she did believe it would be to her
ruine, which is a strange, stupid thing, to a fellow of no kind of worth
in the world and a beggar to boot. Thence away to boat again and landed
her at the Three Cranes again, and I to the Bridge, and so home, and
after shifting myself, being dirty, I to the 'Change, and thence to
Mr. Povy's and there dined, and thence with him and Creed to my Lord
Bellasses', and there debated a great while how to put things in order
against his going, and so with my Lord in his coach to White Hall, and
with him to my Lord Duke of Albemarle, finding him at cards. After a
few dull words or two, I away to White Hall again, and there delivered
a letter to the Duke of Yorke about our Navy business, and thence walked
up and down in the gallery, talking with Mr. Slingsby, who is a very
ingenious person, about the Mint and coynage of money. Among other
things, he argues that there being L700,000 coined in the Rump time, and
by all the Treasurers of that time, it being their opinion that the Rump
money was in all payments, one with another, about a tenth part of all
their money. Then, says he, to my question, the nearest guess we can
make is, that the money passing up and down in business is L7,000,000.
To another question of mine he made me fully understand that the old law
of prohibiting bullion to be exported, is, and ever was a folly and an
injury, rather than good. Arguing thus, that if the exportations exceed
importations, then the balance must be brought home in money, which,
when our merchants know cannot be carried out again, they will forbear
to bring home in money, but let it lie abroad for trade, or keepe in
foreign banks: or if our importations exceed our exportations, then,
to keepe credit, the merchants will and must find ways of carrying out
money by stealth, which is a most easy thing to do, and is every where
done; and therefore the law against it signifies nothing in the world.
Besides, that it is seen, that where money is free, there is great
plenty; where it is restrained, as here, there is a great want, as in
Spayne. These and many other fine discourses I had from him. Thence by
coach home (to see Sir J. Minnes first), who is still sick, and I doubt
worse than he seems to be. Mrs. Turner here took me into her closet, and
there did give me a glass of most pu