ue: and then, in the Sixth Article (I will get a copy
of them if I can) there are two or three things strangely asserted to
the diminishing of the King's power, as is said, at least things that
heretofore would not have been heard of. But then the question being put
among the Lords, as my Lord Bristoll advised, whether, upon the whole
matter and Reasons that had been laid before them, they would commit my
Lord Clarendon, it was carried five to one against it; there being but
three Bishops against him, of whom Cosens and Dr. Reynolds were two,
and I know not the third. This made the opposite Lords, as Bristoll
and Buckingham, so mad, that they declared and protested against it,
speaking very broad that there was mutiny and rebellion in the hearts of
the Lords, and that they desired they might enter their dissents,
which they did do, in great fury. So that upon the Lords sending to
the Commons, as I am told, to have a conference for them to give
their answer to the Commons's Reasons, the Commons did desire a free
conference: but the Lords do deny it; and the reason is, that they hold
not the Commons any Court, but that themselves only are a Court, and the
Chief Court of judicature, and therefore are not to dispute the laws
and method of their own Court with them that are none, and so will not
submit so much as to have their power disputed. And it is conceived that
much of this eagerness among the Lords do arise from the fear some of
them have, that they may be dealt with in the same manner themselves,
and therefore do stand upon it now. It seems my Lord Clarendon hath, as
is said and believed, had his horses several times in his coach, ready
to carry him to the Tower, expecting a message to that purpose; but by
this means his case is like to be laid by. From this we fell to other
discourse, and very good; among the rest they discourse of a man that is
a little frantic, that hath been a kind of minister, Dr. Wilkins saying
that he hath read for him in his church, that is poor and a debauched
man, that the College' have hired for 20s. to have some of the blood of
a sheep let into his body; and it is to be done on Saturday next.

[This was Arthur Coga, who had studied at Cambridge, and was said to
be a bachelor of divinity. He was indigent, and "looked upon as a
very freakish and extravagant man." Dr. King, in a letter to the
Hon. Robert Boyle, remarks "that Mr. Coga was about thirty-two
years of a