their discourse in those tables, about the disposing of their books and
papers, very foolish. But that, that he is offended with, is his being
made so contemptible, as that any should dare to make a gentleman a
subject for the mirth of the world: and that therefore he had told Tom
Killigrew that he should tell his actors, whoever they were, that did
offer at any thing like representing him, that he would not complain to my
Lord Chamberlain, which was too weak, nor get him beaten, as Sir Charles
Sidly is said to do, but that he would cause his nose to be cut. He told
me the passage at the Council much like what my Lord Bellassis told me.
He told me how that the Duke of Buckingham did himself, some time since,
desire to join with him, of all men in England, and did bid him propound
to himself to be Chief Minister of State, saying that he would bring it
about, but that he refused to have anything to do with any faction; and
that the Duke of Buckingham did, within these few days, say that, of all
men in England, he would have chosen W. Coventry to have joined entire
with. He tells me that he fears their prevailing against the Duke of
York; and that their violence will force them to it, as being already
beyond his pardon. He repeated to me many examples of challenging of
Privy-Councillors and others; but never any proceeded against with that
severity which he is, it never amounting to others to more than a little
confinement. He tells me of his being weary of the Treasury, and of the
folly, ambition, and desire of popularity of Sir Thomas Clifford; and yet
the rudeness of his tongue and passions when angry. This and much more
discourse being over I with great pleasure come home and to the office,
where all the morning, and at noon home to dinner, and thence to the
office again, where very hard at work all the afternoon till night, and
then home to my wife to read to me, and to bed, my cold having been now
almost for three days quite gone from me. This day my wife made it appear
to me that my late entertainment this week cost me above L12, an expence
which I am almost ashamed of, though it is but once in a great while, and