, and made
us very free and plain with Sir W. Pen, who hath been his great patron,
and as very a rogue as he. But he do now seem to own that his opinion
is changed of him, and that he will joyne with us in our strictest
inquiries, and did sign to the letters we had drawn, which he had
refused before, and so seemingly parted good friends, and then I
demanded of Sir R. Ford and the rest, what passed to-day at the meeting
of the Parliament: who told me that, contrary to all expectation by the
King that there would be but a thin meeting, there met above 300 this
first day, and all the discontented party; and, indeed, the whole House
seems to be no other almost. The Speaker told them, as soon as they were
sat, that he was ordered by the King to let them know he was hindered
by some important business to come to them and speak to them, as he
intended; and, therefore, ordered him to move that they would adjourn
themselves till Monday next, it being very plain to all the House that
he expects to hear by that time of the sealing of the peace, which by
letters, it seems, from my Lord Holis, was to be sealed the last Sunday.

[The peace was signed on the 31st. See August 9th.--B.]

But before they would come to the question whether they would adjourn,
Sir Thomas Tomkins steps up and tells them, that all the country
is grieved at this new raised standing army; and that they thought
themselves safe enough in their trayn-bands; and that, therefore, he
desired the King might be moved to disband them. Then rises Garraway and
seconds him, only with this explanation, which he said he believed the
other meant; that, as soon as peace should be concluded, they might be
disbanded. Then rose Sir W. Coventry, and told them that he did approve
of what the last gentleman said; but also, that at the same time he did
no more than what, he durst be bold to say, he knew to be the King's
mind, that as soon as peace was concluded he would do it of himself.
Then rose Sir Thomas Littleton, and did give several reasons for the
uncertainty of their meeting again but to adjourne, in case news comes
of the peace being ended before Monday next, and the possibility of the
King's having some about him that may endeavour to alter his own,
and the good part of his Council's advice, for the keeping up of the
land-army; and, therefore, it was fit that they did present it to
the King as their desire, that, as soon as peace was concluded, the
land-army might