it, every body becoming an enemy to them in their retrenchments, and the
King unstable, the debts great and the King's present occasions for money
great and many and pressing, the bankers broke and every body keeping in
their money, while the times are doubtful what will stand. But he says
had they come in two years ago they doubt not to have done what the King
would by this time, or were the King in the condition as heretofore, when
the Chancellor was great, to be able to have what sums of money they
pleased of the Parliament, and then the ill administration was such that
instead of making good use of this power and money he suffered all to go
to ruin. But one such sum now would put all upon their legs, and now the
King would have the Parliament give him money when they are in an ill
humour and will not be willing to give any, nor are very able, and besides
every body distrusts what they give the King will be lost; whereas six
months hence, when they see that the King can live without them, and is
become steady, and to manage what he has well, he doubts not but their
doubts would be removed, and would be much more free as well as more able
to give him money. He told me how some of his enemies at the Duke of
York's had got the Duke of York's commission for the Commissioners of his
estate changed, and he and Brouncker and Povy left out: that this they did
do to disgrace and impose upon him at this time; but that he, though he
values not the thing, did go and tell the Duke of York what he heard, and
that he did not think that he had given him any reason to do this, out of
his belief that he would not be as faithful and serviceable to him as the
best of those that have got him put out. Whereupon the Duke of York did
say that it arose only from his not knowing whether now he would have time
to regard his affairs; and that, if he should, he would put him into the
commission with his own hand, though the commission be passed. He
answered that he had been faithful to him, and done him good service
therein, so long as he could attend it; and if he had been able to have
attended it more, he would not have enriched himself with such and such