and our Office. But [Sir] W. Coventry do contemn them; only that their
persons and qualities are great, and so I do perceive [he] is afeard of
them, though he will not confess it. But he do say that, if he can get
out of these briars, he will never trouble himself with Princes nor Dukes
again. He finds several things in their Narratives, which are both
inconsistent and foolish, as well as untrue, especially as to what the
Duke of Albemarle avers of his knowing of the enemy's being abroad sooner
than he says it, which [Sir] W. Coventry will shew him his own letter
against him, for I confess I do see so much, that, were I but well
possessed of what I should have in the world, I think I could willingly
retreat, and trouble myself no more with it. Thence home, and there met
Sir H. Cholmly, and he and I to the Excise Office to see what tallies are
paying, and thence back to the Old Exchange, by the way talking of news,
and he owning Sir W. Coventry, in his opinion, to be one of the worthiest
men in the nation, as I do really think he is. He tells me he do think
really that they will cut off my Lord Chancellor's head, the Chancellor at
this day showing as much pride as is possible to those few that venture
their fortunes by coming to see him; and that the Duke of York is troubled
much, knowing that those that fling down the Chancellor cannot stop there,
but will do something to him, to prevent his having it in his power
hereafter to avenge himself and father-in-law upon them. And this Sir H.
Cholmly fears may be by divorcing the Queen and getting another, or
declaring the Duke of Monmouth legitimate; which God forbid! He tells me
he do verily believe that there will come in an impeachment of High
Treason against my Lord of Ormond; among other things, for ordering the
quartering of soldiers in Ireland on free quarters; which, it seems, is
High Treason in that country, and was one of the things that lost the Lord
Strafford his head, and the law is not yet repealed; which, he says, was a
mighty oversight of him not to have it repealed, which he might with ease
have done, or have justified himself by an Act. From the Exchange I took