Coventry do Mr. Jolliffe. He says that it is concluded among merchants,
that where a trade hath once been and do decay, it never recovers again,
and therefore that the manufacture of cloath of England will never come to
esteem again; that, among other faults, Sir Richard Ford cannot keepe a
secret, and that it is so much the part of a merchant to be guilty of that
fault that the Duke of Yoke is resolved to commit no more secrets to the
merchants of the Royall Company; that Sir Ellis Layton is, for a speech of
forty words, the wittiest man that ever he knew in his life, but longer he
is nothing, his judgment being nothing at all, but his wit most absolute.
At Somersett House he carried me in, and there I saw the Queene's new
rooms, which are most stately and nobly furnished; and there I saw her,
and the Duke of Yorke and Duchesse were there. The Duke espied me, and
came to me, and talked with me a very great while about our contract this
day with Sir W. Warren, and among other things did with some contempt ask
whether we did except Polliards, which Sir W. Batten did yesterday (in
spite, as the Duke I believe by my Lord Barkely do well enough know) among
other things in writing propose. Thence home by coach, it raining hard,
and to my office, where late, then home to supper and to bed. This night
the Dutch Embassador desired and had an audience of the King. What the
issue of it was I know not. Both sides I believe desire peace, but
neither will begin, and so I believe a warr will follow. The Prince is
with his fleet at Portsmouth, and the Dutch are making all preparations
for warr.

19th. Up and to my office all the morning. At noon dined at home; then
abroad by coach to buy for the office "Herne upon the Statute of
Charitable Uses," in order to the doing something better in the Chest than
we have done, for I am ashamed to see Sir W. Batten possess himself so
long of so much money as he hath done. Coming home, weighed, my two
silver flaggons at Stevens's. They weigh 212 oz. 27 dwt., which is about