or other, and so, after much chatt, Sir W. Pen did give us a very good and
neat dinner, and better, I think, than ever I did see at his owne house at
home in my life, and so was the other I eat with him. After dinner much
talke, and about other things, he and I about his money for his prize
goods, wherein I did give him a cool answer, but so as we did not disagree
in words much, and so let that fall, and so followed my Lord Sandwich, who
was gone a little before me on board the Royall James. And there spent an
houre, my Lord playing upon the gittarr, which he now commends above all
musique in the world, because it is base enough for a single voice, and is
so portable and manageable without much trouble. That being done, I got my
Lord to be alone, and so I fell to acquaint him with W. Howe's business,
which he had before heard a little of from Captain Cocke, but made no
great matter of it, but now he do, and resolves nothing less than to lay
him by the heels, and seize on all he hath, saying that for this yeare or
two he hath observed him so proud and conceited he could not endure him.
But though I was not at all displeased with it, yet I prayed him to
forbear doing anything therein till he heard from me again about it, and I
had made more enquiry into the truth of it, which he agreed to. Then we
fell to publique discourse, wherein was principally this: he cleared it to
me beyond all doubt that Coventry is his enemy, and has been long so. So
that I am over that, and my Lord told it me upon my proposal of a
friendship between them, which he says is impossible, and methinks that my
Lord's displeasure about the report in print of the first fight was not of
his making, but I perceive my Lord cannot forget it, nor the other think
he can. I shewed him how advisable it were upon almost any terms for him
to get quite off the sea employment. He answers me again that he agrees
to it, but thinks the King will not let him go off: He tells me he lacks
now my Lord Orrery to solicit it for him, who is very great with the King.
As an infinite secret, my Lord tells me, the factions are high between the
King and the Duke, and all the Court are in an uproare with their loose