lessening of the tale Mr. Coventry told, it being only for a respect to my
Lord Fitz-Harding. In fine, Mr. Coventry did put into the Duke's hand a
list of above 250 places that he did give without receiving one farthing,
so much as his ordinary fees for them, upon his life and oath; and that
since the Duke's establishment of fees he had never received one token
more of any man; and that in his whole life he never conditioned or
discoursed of any consideration from any commanders since he came to the
Navy. And afterwards, my Lord Barkeley merrily discoursing that he wished
his profit greater than it was, and that he did believe that he had got
L50,000 since he came in, Mr. Coventry did openly declare that his
Lordship, or any of us, should have not only all he had got, but all that
he had in the world (and yet he did not come a beggar into the Navy, nor
would yet be thought to speak in any contempt of his Royall Highness's
bounty), and should have a year to consider of it too, for L25,000. The
Duke's answer was, that he wished we all had made more profit than he had
of our places, and that we had all of us got as much as one man below
stayres in the Court, which he presently named, and it was Sir George
Lane! This being ended, and the list left in the Duke's hand, we parted,
and I with Sir G. Carteret, Sir J. Minnes, and Sir W. Batten by coach to
the Exchange, and there a while, and so home, and whether it be the
jogging, or by having my mind more employed (which I believe is a great
matter) I know not, but . . . . I begin to be suddenly well, at least
better than I was. So home and to dinner, and thence by coach to the Old
Exchange, and there cheapened some laces for my wife, and then to
Mr.-----the great laceman in Cheapside, and bought one cost me L4. more by
20s. than I intended, but when I came to see them I was resolved to buy
one worth wearing with credit, and so to the New Exchange, and there put
it to making, and so to my Lord's lodgings and left my wife, and so I to
the Committee of Tangier, and then late home with my wife again by coach,
beginning to be very well, and yet when I came home . . . . the little