ashions touching meats, Mr.
Ashburnham told us, that he remembers since the only fruit in request,
and eaten by the King and Queen at table as the best fruit, was the
Katharine payre, though they knew at the time other fruits of France
and our own country. After dinner comes in Mr. Townsend; and there I was
witness of a horrid rateing, which Mr. Ashburnham, as one of the Grooms
of the King's Bedchamber, did give him for want of linen for the King's
person; which he swore was not to be endured, and that the King would
not endure it, and that the King his father, would have hanged his
Wardrobe-man should he have been served so the King having at this day
no handkerchers, and but three bands to his neck, he swore. Mr. Townsend
answered want of money, and the owing of the linen-draper L5000; and
that he hath of late got many rich things made--beds, and sheets, and
saddles, and all without money, and he can go no further but still this
old man, indeed, like an old loving servant, did cry out for the King's
person to be neglected. But, when he was gone, Townsend told me that
it is the grooms taking away the King's linen at the quarter's end, as
their fees, which makes this great want: for, whether the King can get
it or no, they will run away at the quarter's end with what he hath had,
let the King get more as he can. All the company gone, Sir G. Carteret
and I to talk: and it is pretty to observe how already he says that
he did always look upon the Chancellor indeed as his friend, though he
never did do him any service at all, nor ever got any thing by him, nor
was he a man apt, and that, I think, is true, to do any man any kindness
of his own nature; though I do know that he was believed by all the
world to be the greatest support of Sir G. Carteret with the King of
any man in England: but so little is now made of it! He observes that
my Lord Sandwich will lose a great friend in him; and I think so too, my
Lord Hinchingbroke being about a match calculated purely out of respect
to my Lord Chancellor's family. By and by Sir G. Carteret, and Townsend,
and I, to consider of an answer to the Commissioners of the Treasury
about my Lord Sandwich's profits in the Wardrobe; which seem, as we make
them, to be very small, not L1000 a-year; but only the difference in
measure at which he buys and delivers out to the King, and then 6d. in
the pound from the tradesmen for what money he receives for him; but
this, it is believed, these Commi