th Monsieur Raby, who is lately come from France.
[He] tells me that my Lord Hinchingbroke and his brother do little
improve there, and are much neglected in their habits and other things;
but I do believe he hath a mind to go over as their tutour, and so I am
not apt to believe what he says therein. But I had a great deal of very
good discourse with him, concerning the difference between the French
and the Pope, and the occasion, which he told me very particularly, and
to my great content; and of most of the chief affairs of France, which
I did enquire: and that the King is a most excellent Prince, doing all
business himself; and that it is true he hath a mistress, Mademoiselle
La Valiere, one of the Princess Henriette's women, that he courts for
his pleasure every other day, but not so as to make him neglect his
publique affairs. He tells me how the King do carry himself nobly to
the relations of the dead Cardinall,--[Cardinal Mazarin died March 9th,
1661.]--and will not suffer one pasquill to come forth against him; and
that he acts by what directions he received from him before his death.
Having discoursed long with him, I took him by coach and set him down at
my Lord Crew's, and myself went and dined at Mr. Povy's, where Orlando
Massam, Mr. Wilks, a Wardrobe man, myself and Mr. Gawden, and had just
such another dinner as I had the other day there. But above all things
I do the most admire his piece of perspective especially, he opening me
the closett door, and there I saw that there is nothing but only a plain
picture hung upon the wall. After dinner Mr. Gauden and I to settle the
business of the Tangier victualling, which I perceive none of them yet
have hitherto understood but myself. Thence by coach to White Hall, and
met upon the Tangier Commission, our greatest business the discoursing
of getting things ready for my Lord Rutherford to go about the middle
of March next, and a proposal of Sir J. Lawson's and Mr. Cholmely's
concerning undertaking the Mole, which is referred to another time. So
by coach home, being melancholy, overcharged with business, and methinks
I fear that I have some ill offices done to Mr. Coventry, or else he
observes that of late I have not despatched business so as I did use to
do, which I confess I do acknowledge. But it may be it is but my fear
only, he is not so fond as he used to be of me. But I do believe that
Sir W. Batten has made him believe that I do too much crow upon having
his