28th. Up, and was called upon by Sir H. Cholmly to discourse about some
accounts of his, of Tangier: and then other talk; and I find by him that
it is brought almost effect ([through] the late endeavours of the Duke of
York Duchess, the Queen-Mother, and my Lord St. Albans, together with some
of the contrary faction, my Lord Arlington), that for a sum of money we
shall enter into a league with the King of France, wherein, he says, my
Lord Chancellor--[Clarendon; then an exile in France.]--is also concerned;
and that he believes that, in the doing hereof, it is meant that he
[Clarendon] shall come again, and that this sum of money will so help the
King that he will not need the Parliament; and that, in that regard it
will be forwarded by the Duke of Buckingham and his faction, who dread the
Parliament. But hereby we must leave the Dutch, and that I doubt will
undo us; and Sir H. Cholmly says he finds W. Coventry do think the like.
Lady Castlemayne is instrumental in this matter, and, he say never more
great with the King than she is now. But this a thing that will make the
Parliament and kingdom mad, and will turn to our ruine: for with this
money the King shall wanton away his time in pleasures, and think nothing
of the main till it be too late. He gone, I to the office, where busy
till noon, and then home to dinner, where W. Batelier dined with us, and
pretty merry, and so I to the office again. This morning Mr. Sheres sent
me, in two volumes, Mariana his History of Spaine, in Spanish, an
excellent book; and I am much obliged for it to him.

29th. Up, and to the Office, where all the morning, and at noon dined at
home, and then to the Office again, there to despatch as much business as
I could, that I might be at liberty to-morrow to look after my many things
that I have to do, against May-day. So at night home to supper and to
bed.

30th. Up, and by coach to the coachmaker's: and there I do find a great