mmissioners of the
Treasury; where, waiting some time, I there met with Colonel Birch; and
he and I fell into discourse; and I did give him thanks for his kindness
to me in the Parliament-house, both before my face and behind my back.
He told me that he knew me to be a man of the old way for taking pains,
and did always endeavour to do me right, and prevent any thing that was
moved that might tend to my injury; which I was obliged to him for, and
thanked him. Thence to talk of other things, and the want of money and
he told me of the general want of money in the country; that land sold
for nothing, and the many pennyworths he knows of lands and houses upon
them, with good titles in his country, at 16 years' purchase: "and,"
says he, "though I am in debt, yet I have a mind to one thing, and that
is a Bishop's lease;" but said, "I will yet choose such a lease before
any other, yes," says he, plainly, "because I know they cannot stand,
and then it will fall into the King's hands, and I in possession shall
have an advantage by it." "And," says he, "I know they must fall, and
they are now near it, taking all the ways they can to undo themselves,
and showing us the way;" and thereupon told the a story of the present
quarrel between the Bishop and Deane of Coventry and Lichfield;
the former of which did excommunicate the latter, and caused his
excommunication to be read in the Church while he was there; and, after
it was read, the Deane made the service be gone through with, though
himself, an excommunicate, was present, which is contrary to the Canon,
and said he would justify the quire therein against the Bishop; and so
they are at law in the Arches about it; which is a very pretty story. He
tells me that the King is for Toleration, though the Bishops be against
it: and that he do not doubt but it will be carried in Parliament; but
that he fears some will stand for the tolerating of Papists with the
rest; and that he knows not what to say, but rather thinks that the
sober party will be without it, rather than have it upon those terms;
and I do believe so. Here we broke off, and I home to dinner, and after
dinner set down my wife and Deb. at the 'Change, and I to make a visit
to Mr. Godolphin

[William Godolphin, descended from a younger branch of that family,
which was afterwards ennobled in the person of Sidney, Earl
Godolphin, Lord Treasurer. William Godolphin was of Christ Church,
Oxford, and graduate