rld, but the most expensefull; and that the Duke of York's
marriage with her hath undone the kingdom, by making the Chancellor so
great above reach, who otherwise would have been but an ordinary man, to
have been dealt with by other people; and he would have been careful of
managing things well, for fear of being called to account; whereas, now
he is secure, and hath let things run to rack, as they now appear. That
at a certain time Mr. Povy did carry him an account of the state of the
Duke of York's estate, showing in faithfullness how he spent more than
his estate would bear, by above L20,000 per annum, and asked my Lord's
opinion of it; to which he answered that no man that loved the King or
kingdom durst own the writing of that paper; at which Povy was startled,
and reckoned himself undone for this good service, and found it
necessary then to show it to the Duke of York's Commissioners; who read,
examined, and approved of it, so as to cause it to be put into form, and
signed it, and gave it the Duke. Now the end of the Chancellor was, for
fear that his daughter's ill housewifery should be condemned. He [Povy]
tells me that the other day, upon this ill newes of the Dutch being upon
us, White Hall was shut up, and the Council called and sat close; and,
by the way, he do assure me, from the mouth of some Privy-councillors,
that at this day the Privy-council in general do know no more what the
state of the kingdom as to peace and war is, than he or I; nor knows who
manages it, nor upon whom it depends; and there my Lord Chancellor did
make a speech to them, saying that they knew well that he was no friend
to the war from the beginning, and therefore had concerned himself
little in, nor could say much to it; and a great deal of that kind, to
discharge himself of the fault of the war. Upon which my Lord Anglesey
rose up and told his Majesty that he thought their coming now together
was not to enquire who was, or was not, the cause of the war, but to
enquire what was, or could be, done in the business of making a peace,
and in whose hands that was, and where it was stopped or forwarded; and
went on very highly to have all made open to them: and, by the way, I
remember that Captain Cocke did the other day tell me that this Lord
Anglesey hath said, within few days, that he would willingly give
L10,000 of his estate that he was well secured of the rest, such
apprehensions he hath of the sequel of things, as giving all over for