my wife cut my hair short, which is
growne pretty long again, and then to the office, and there till 9 at
night doing business. This afternoon we had a good present of tongues and
bacon from Mr. Shales, of Portsmouth. So at night home to supper, and,
being troubled with my eye, to bed. This morning Mr. Burgby, one of the
writing clerks belonging to the Council, was with me about business, a
knowing man, he complains how most of the Lords of the Council do look
after themselves and their own ends, and none the publique, unless Sir
Edward Nicholas. Sir G. Carteret is diligent, but all for his own ends
and profit. My Lord Privy Scale, a destroyer of every body's business,
and do no good at all to the publique. The Archbishop of Canterbury
speaks very little, nor do much, being now come to the highest pitch that
he can expect. He tells me, he believes that things will go very high
against the Chancellor by Digby, and that bad things will be proved. Talks
much of his neglecting the King; and making the King to trot every day to
him, when he is well enough to go to visit his cozen Chief-Justice Hide,
but not to the Council or King. He commends my Lord of Ormond mightily in
Ireland; but cries out cruelly of Sir G. Lane for his corruption; and that
he hath done my Lord great dishonour by selling of places here, which are
now all taken away, and the poor wretches ready to starve. That nobody
almost understands or judges of business better than the King, if he would
not be guilty of his father's fault to be doubtfull of himself, and easily
be removed from his own opinion. That my Lord Lauderdale is never from
the King's care nor council, and that he is a most cunning fellow. Upon
the whole, that he finds things go very bad every where; and even in the
Council nobody minds the publique.

3rd. Up pretty early and so to the office, where we sat all the morning
making a very great contract with Sir W. Warren for provisions for the
yeare coming, and so home to dinner, and there was W. Howe come to dine
with me, and before dinner he and I walked in the garden, and we did
discourse together, he assuring me of what he told me the other day of my
Lord's speaking so highly in my commendation to my Lord Peterborough and
Povy, which speaks my Lord having yet a good opinion of me, and also how
well my Lord and Lady both are pleased with their children's being at my
father's, and when the bigger ladies were there a little while ago,