business, what with his woman, my Lady Denham, and his hunting three times
a week) was just come in from hunting. So I stood and saw him dress
himself, and try on his vest, which is the King's new fashion, and will be
in it for good and all on Monday next, and the whole Court: it is a
fashion, the King says; he will never change. He being ready, he and my
Lord Chancellor, and Duke of Albemarle, and Prince Rupert, Lord Bellasses,
Sir H. Cholmly, Povy, and myself, met at a Committee for Tangier. My Lord
Bellasses's propositions were read and discoursed of, about reducing the
garrison to less charge; and indeed I am mad in love with my Lord
Chancellor, for he do comprehend and speak out well, and with the greatest
easinesse and authority that ever I saw man in my life. I did never
observe how much easier a man do speak when he knows all the company to be
below him, than in him; for though he spoke, indeed, excellent welt, yet
his manner and freedom of doing it, as if he played with it, and was
informing only all the rest of the company, was mighty pretty. He did
call again and again upon Mr. Povy for his accounts. I did think fit to
make the solemn tender of my accounts that I intended. I said something
that was liked, touching the want of money, and the bad credit of our
tallys. My Lord Chancellor moved, that without any trouble to any of the
rest of the Lords, I might alone attend the King, when he was with his
private Council; and open the state of the garrison's want of credit; and
all that could be done, should. Most things moved were referred to
Committees, and so we broke up. And at the end Sir W. Coventry come; so I
away with him, and he discoursed with me something of the Parliament's
business. They have voted giving the [King] for next year L1,800,000;
which, were it not for his debts, were a great sum. He says, he thinks
the House may say no more to us for the present, but that we must mend our
manners against the next tryall, and mend them we will. But he thinks it
not a fit time to be found making of trouble among ourselves, meaning
about Sir J. Minnes, who most certainly must be removed, or made a