this very
day, but will in a day or two, and pay my forfeit for not doing it,
though business hath most hindered me. The month shuts up only with
great desires of peace in all of us, and a belief that we shall have a
peace, in most people, if a peace can be had on any terms, for there is
a necessity of it; for we cannot go on with the war, and our masters are
afraid to come to depend upon the good will of the Parliament any more,
as I do hear.

APRIL 1667

April 1st. Up, and with Sir J. Minnes in his coach, set him down at the
Treasurer's Office in Broad-streete, and I in his coach to White Hall,
and there had the good fortune to walk with Sir W. Coventry into the
garden, and there read our melancholy letter to the Duke of York, which
he likes. And so to talk: and he flatly owns that we must have a peace,
for we cannot set out a fleete; and, to use his own words, he fears that
we shall soon have enough of fighting in this new way, which we have
thought on for this year. He bemoans the want of money, and discovers
himself jealous that Sir G. Carteret do not look after, or concern
himself for getting, money as he used to do, and did say it is true if
Sir G. Carteret would only do his work, and my Lord Treasurer would do
his own, Sir G. Carteret hath nothing to do to look after money, but
if he will undertake my Lord Treasurer's work to raise money of the
Bankers, then people must expect that he will do it, and did further
say, that he [Carteret] and my Lord Chancellor do at this very day
labour all they can to villify this new way of raising money, and making
it payable, as it now is, into the Exchequer; and expressly said that
in pursuance hereof, my Lord Chancellor hath prevailed with the King, in
the close of his last speech to the House, to say, that he did hope
to see them come to give money as it used to be given, without so many
provisos, meaning, as Sir W. Coventry says, this new method of the Act.
While we were talking, there come Sir Thomas Allen with two ladies; one
of which was Mrs. Rebecca Allen, that I knew heretofore, the clerk of
the rope-yard's daughter at Chatham, who, poor heart! come to desire
favour for her husband, who is clapt up, being a Lieutenant [Jowles],
for sending a challenge to his Captain, in the most saucy, base language
that could be writ. I perceive [Sir] W. Coventry is wholly resolved
to bring him to punishment; for, "bear with this," says he, "and no
discipline shall ever be e