20th. Up, and to the Tower, to W. Coventry, and there walked with him
alone, on the Stone Walk, till company come to him; and there about the
business of the Navy discoursed with him, and about my Lord Chancellor and
Treasurer; that they were against the war [with the Dutch] at first,
declaring, as wise men and statesmen, at first to the King, that they
thought it fit to have a war with them at some time or other, but that it
ought not to be till we found the Crowns of Spain and France together by
the Bares, the want of which did ruin our war. But then he told me that,
a great deal before the war, my Lord Chancellor did speak of a war with
some heat, as a thing to be desired, and did it upon a belief that he
could with his speeches make the Parliament give what money he pleased,
and do what he would, or would make the King desire; but he found himself
soon deceived of the Parliament, they having a long time before his
removal been cloyed with his speeches and good words, and were come to
hate him. Sir W. Coventry did tell me it, as the wisest thing that ever
was said to the King by any statesman of his time, and it was by my Lord
Treasurer that is dead, whom, I find, he takes for a very great
statesman--that when the King did shew himself forward for passing the Act
of Indemnity, he did advise the King that he would hold his hand in doing
it, till he had got his power restored, that had been diminished by the
late times, and his revenue settled in such a manner as he might depend on
himself, without resting upon Parliaments,--and then pass it. But my Lord
Chancellor, who thought he could have the command of Parliaments for ever,
because for the King's sake they were awhile willing to grant all the King
desired, did press for its being done; and so it was, and the King from
that time able to do nothing with the Parliament almost. Thence to the
office, where sat all the forenoon, and then home to dinner, and so to the
office, where late busy, and so home, mightily pleased with the news
brought me to-night, that the King and Duke of York are come back this
afternoon, and no sooner come, but a warrant was sent to the Tower for the