make somebody else Comptroller. He tells me it
is the thing he hath been thinking of, and hath spoke to the Duke of York
of it. He believes it will be done; but that which I fear is that Pen
will be Comptroller, which I shall grudge a little. The Duke of
Buckingham called him aside and spoke a good while with him. I did
presently fear it might be to discourse something of his design to blemish
my Lord of Sandwich, in pursuance of the wild motion he made the other day
in the House. Sir W. Coventry, when he come to me again, told me that he
had wrought a miracle, which was, the convincing the Duke of Buckingham
that something--he did not name what--that he had intended to do was not
fit to be done, and that the Duke is gone away of that opinion. This
makes me verily believe it was something like what I feared. By and by
the House rose, and then we parted, and I with Sir G. Carteret, and walked
in the Exchequer Court, discoursing of businesses. Among others, I
observing to him how friendly Sir W. Coventry had carried himself to him
in these late inquiries, when, if he had borne him any spleen, he could
have had what occasion he pleased offered him, he did confess he found the
same thing, and would thanke him for it. I did give him some other
advices, and so away with him to his lodgings at White Hall to dinner,
where my Lady Carteret is, and mighty kind, both of them, to me. Their
son and my Lady Jemimah will be here very speedily. She tells me the
ladies are to go into a new fashion shortly, and that is, to wear short
coats, above their ancles; which she and I do not like, but conclude this
long trayne to be mighty graceful. But she cries out of the vices of the
Court, and how they are going to set up plays already; and how, the next
day after the late great fast, the Duchesse of York did give the King and
Queene a play. Nay, she told me that they have heretofore had plays at
Court the very nights before the fast for the death of the late King: She
do much cry out upon these things, and that which she believes will undo
the whole nation; and I fear so too. After dinner away home, Mr. Brisband
along with me as far as the Temple, and there looked upon a new booke, set
out by one Rycault, secretary to my Lord Winchelsea, of the policy and
customs of the Turks, which is, it seems, much cried up. But I could not
stay, but home, where I find Balty come back, and with him some
muster-books, which I am glad of, and ho