out of the Council, "Well," says he, "and what are we to look for when we
are outed? Will all things be set right in the nation?" The other said
that he did believe that many things would be mended: "But," says my Lord,
"will you and the rest of you be contented to be hanged, if you do not
redeem all our misfortunes and set all right, if the power be put into
your hands?" The other answered, "No, I would not undertake that:"--"Why,
then," says my Lord, "I and the rest of us that you are labouring to put
out, will be contented to be hanged, if we do not recover all that is
past, if the King will put the power into our hands, and adhere wholly to
our advice;" which saying as it was severe, so generally people have so
little opinion of those that are likely to be uppermost that they do
mightily commend my Lord Anglesey for this saying. From the
Vice-Chamberlain up and down the house till Chapel done, and then did
speak with several that I had a mind to, and so intending to go home, my
Lady Carteret saw and called me out of her window, and so would have me
home with her to Lincoln's Inn Fields to dinner, and there we met with my
Lord Brereton, and several other strangers, to dine there; and I find him
a very sober and serious, able man, and was in discourse too hard for the
Bishop of Chester, who dined there; and who, above all books lately wrote,
commending the matter and style of a late book, called "The Causes of the
Decay of Piety," I do resolve at his great commendation to buy it. Here
dined also Sir Philip Howard, a Barkeshire Howard, whom I did once hear
swear publickly and loud in the matted gallery that he had not been at a
wench in so long a time. He did take occasion to tell me at the table
that I have got great ground in the Parliament, by my ready answers to all
that was asked me there about the business of Chatham, and they would
never let me be out of employment, of which I made little; but was glad to
hear him, as well as others, say it. And he did say also, relating to
Commissioner Pett, that he did not think that he was guilty of anything
like a fault, that he was either able or concerned to amend, but only the
not carrying up of the ships higher, he meant; but he said, three or four
miles lower down, to Rochester Bridge, which is a strange piece of
ignorance in a Member of Parliament at such a time as this, and after so
many examinations in the house of this business; and did boldly declare
that he did