White Hall with our fellows to attend the Council, by order upon some
proposition of my Lord Anglesey, we were called in. The King there: and
it was about considering how the fleete might be discharged at their
coming in shortly (the peace being now ratified, and it takes place on
Monday next, which Sir W. Coventry said would make some clashing between
some of us twenty to one, for want of more warning, but the wind has kept
the boats from coming over), whether by money or tickets, and cries out
against tickets, but the matter was referred for us to provide an answer
to, which we must do in a few days. So we parted, and I to Westminster to
the Exchequer, to see what sums of money other people lend upon the Act;
and find of all sizes from L1000 to L100 nay, to L50, nay, to L20, nay, to
L5: for I find that one Dr. Reade, Doctor of Law, gives no more, and
others of them L20; which is a poor thing, methinks, that we should stoop
so low as to borrow such sums. Upon the whole, I do think to lend, since
I must lend, L300, though, God knows! it is much against my will to lend
any, unless things were in better condition, and likely to continue so.
Thence home and there to dinner, and after dinner by coach out again,
setting my wife down at Unthanke's, and I to the Treasury-chamber, where I
waited, talking with Sir G. Downing, till the Lords met. He tells me how
he will make all the Exchequer officers, of one side and t'other, to lend
the King money upon the Act; and that the least clerk shall lend money,
and he believes the least will L100: but this I do not believe. He made
me almost ashamed that we of the Navy had not in all this time lent any;
so that I find it necessary I should, and so will speedily do it, before
any of my fellows begin, and lead me to a bigger sum. By and by the Lords
come; and I perceive Sir W. Coventry is the man, and nothing done till he
comes. Among other things, I hear him observe, looking over a paper, that
Sir John Shaw is a miracle of a man, for he thinks he executes more places
than any man in England; for there he finds him a Surveyor of some of the
King's woods, and so reckoned up many other places, the most inconsistent