the diary of samuel pepys-第138章
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e an obstruction to justice； and of ill precedent to future times。
3rd。 To Sir W。 Coventry's； the first time I have seen him at his new house since he came to lodge there。 He tells me of the vote for none of the House to be of the Commission for the Bill of Accounts； which he thinks is so great a disappointment to Birch and others that expected to be of it； that he thinks； could it have been seen； there would not have been any Bill at all。 We hope it will be the better for all that are to account； it being likely that the men； being few and not of the House will hear reason。 The main business I went about was about Gilsthrop； Sir W。 Batten's clerk； who being upon his death…bed； and now dead； hath offered to make discoveries of the disorders of the Navy and of 65；000l。 damage to the King： which made mighty note in the Commons House； and members appointed to go to him； which they did； but nothing to the purpose got from him； but complaints of false musters； and ships being refitted with victuals and stores at Plymouth after they were fitted from other ports。 But all this to no purpose； nor more than we know and will owne。 But the best is； that this logger…head should say this； that understands nothing of the Navy； nor ever would； and hath particularly blemished his master by name among us。 I told Sir W。 Coventry of my letter to Sir R。 Brookes； and his answer to me。 He advises me； in what I write to him； to be as short as I can； and obscure； saving in things fully plain； for that all that he do is to make mischief； and that the greatest wisdom in dealing with the Parliament in the world is to say little； and let them get out what they can by force： which I shall observe。 He declared to me much of his mind to be ruled by his own measures； and not to go so far as many would have him to the ruin of my Lord Chancellor； and for which they do endeavour to do what they can against Sir W。 Coventry。 〃But；〃 says he； 〃I have done my do in helping to get him out of the administration of things； for which he is not fit； but for his life or estate I will have nothing to say to it： besides that； my duty to my master the Duke of York is such； that I will perish before I will do any thing to displease or disoblige him； where the very necessity of the kingdom do not in my judgment call me。〃 Home； and there met W。 Batelier； who tells me the first great； news； that my Lord Chancellor is fled this day； and left a paper behind him for the House of Lords； telling them the reason of his retiring； complaining of a design for his ruin。 But the paper I must get： only the thing at present is great； and will put the King and Commons to some new counsels certainly。 Sir Richard Ford told us this evening an odd story of the basenesse of the Lord Mayor； Sir W。 Bolton； in cheating the poor of the City （out of the collections made for the people that were burned） of 1800l。； of which he can give no account； and in which he hath forsworn himself plainly； so as the Court of Aldermen have sequestered him from their Court till he do bring in an account。 He says also that this day hath been made appear to them that the Keeper of Newgate hath at this day made his house the only nursery of rogues； prostitutes； pickpockets and thieves； in the world； where they were bred and entertained and the whole society met； and that for the sake of the Sheriffes they durst not this day commit him； for fear of making him let out the prisoners but are fain to go by artifice to deal with him。 He tells me also； speaking of the new street that is to be made from Guild Hall down to Cheapside； that the ground is already most of it bought。 And tells me of one particular； of a man that hath a piece of ground lying in the very middle of the street that must be； which； when the street is cut out of it； there will remain ground enough； of each side； to build a house to front the street。 He demanded 700l。 for the ground； and to be excused paying any thing for the melioration of the rest of his ground that he was to keep。 The Court consented to give him 700l。； only not to abate him the consideration： which the man denied； but told them； and so they agreed； that he would excuse the City the 700l。； that he might have the benefit of the melioration without paying any thing for it。 So much some will get by having the City burned！ Ground by this means； that was not worth 4d。 a…foot before； will now； when houses are built； be worth 15s。 a…foot。 But he tells me of the common standard now reckoned on between man and man； in places where there is no alteration of circumstances； but only the houses burnt； there the ground； which with a house on it did yield 100l。 a year； is now reputed worth 33l。 6s。 8d。； and that this is the common market…price between one man and another； made upon a good and moderate medium。
4th。 I hear that the House of Lords did send down the paper which my Lord Clarendon left behind him； directed to the Lords； to be seditious and scandalous； and the Commons have voted that it be burned by the hands of the hangman； and that the King be desired to agree to it。 I do hear also that they have desired the King to use means to stop his escape out of the nation。 This day Gilsthrop is buried； who hath made all the late discourse of the great discovery of 65；000l。 of which the King hath been wronged。
6th。 With Sir J。 Minnes to the Duke of York； the first time that I have seen him； or we waited on him； since his sickness： and blessed be God； he is not at all the worse for the small…pox； but is only a little weak yet。 We did much business with him； and so parted。 My Lord Anglesy told me how my Lord Northampton ＇James third Earl of Northampton； Lord Lieutenant of Warwickshire； and constable of the Tower； Ob。 1681。＇ brought in a Bill into the House of Lords yesterday； under the name of a Bill for the Honour and Privilege of the House； and Mercy to my Lord Clarendon： which； he told me； he opposed； saying that he was a man accused of treason by the House of Commons； and mercy was not proper for him； having not been tried yet； and so no mercy needful for him。 However； the Duke of Buckingham and others did desire that the Bill； might be read； and it was for banishing my Lord Clarendon from all his Majesty's dominions； and that it should be treason to have him found in any of them： the thing is only a thing of vanity； and to insult over him。 By and by home with Sir J。 Minnes； who tells me that my Lord Clarendon did go away in a Custom…house boat； and is now at Callis： and； I confess； nothing seems to hang more heavy than his leaving of this unfortunate paper behind him； that hath angered both Houses； and hath； I think； reconciled them in that which otherwise would have broke them in pieces： so that I do hence； and from Sir W。 Coventry's late example and doctrine to me； learn that on these sorts of occasions there is nothing like silence； it being seldom any wrong to a man to say nothing； but for the most part it is to say any thing。 Sir J。 Minnes told me a story of Lord Cottington； who； wanting a son； intended to make his nephew his heir； a country boy； but did alter his mind upon the boy's being persuaded by another young heir （in roguery） to crow like a cock at my Lord's table； much company being there； and the boy having a great trick at doing that perfectly。 My Lord bade them take away that fool from the table； and so gave over the thoughts of making him his heir from this piece of folly。 Captain Cocke comes to me； and； among other discourse； tells me that he is told that an impeachment against Sir W。 Coventry will be brought in very soon。 He tells me that even those that are against my Lord Chancellor and the Court in the House； do not trust nor agree one with another。 He tells me that my Lord Chancellor went away about ten at night； on Saturday last； at Westminster； and took boat at Westminster； and thence by a vessel to Callis； where he believes he now is； and that the Duke of York and Mr。 Wren knew of it； and that himself did know of it on Sunday morning： that on Sunday his coach； and people about it； went to Twittenham； and the world thought that he had been there： that nothing but this unhappy paper hath undone him； and that he doubts that this paper hath lost him every where： that his withdrawing do reconcile things so far as； he thinks； the heat of their fury will be over； and that all will be made well between the two brothers： that Holland do endeavour to persuade the King of France to break peace with us： that the Dutch will； without doubt； have sixty sail of ships out the next year： so knows not what will become of us； but hopes the Parliament will find money for us to have a fleet。
7th。 Somebody told me this day that they hear that Thomson with the wooden leg； and Wildman； the Fifth…Monarchy man （a great creature of the Duke of Buckingham's）； are in nomination to be Commissioners； among others； upon the Bill of Accounts。
8th。 To White Hall； where I saw the Duchesse of York （in a fine dress of second mourning for her mother； being black edged with ermin） go to make her first visit to the Queene since the Duke of York's being sick； and by and by she being returned； the Queene came and visited her。 But it was pretty to observe that Sir W。 Coventry and I walking an hour and more together in the Matted Gallery； he observed； and so did I； how the Duchesse； soon as she spied him； turned her head a' one side。 Here he and I walked thus long； which we have not done a great while before。 Our discourse was upon every thing： the unhappiness of having our matters examined by people that understand them not； that it is better for us in the Navy to have men that do understand the whole； and that are not passionate； that we that have taken the most pains are called upon to answer for all crimes； while those that； like Sir W。 Batten and Sir J。 Minnes； did sit and do nothing； do lie still without any trouble： that if it were to serve the King and kingdom again in a war； neither of us could do more； though upon this experience we might do better than we did： that the commanders； the gentlemen that could never be brought to order； but undid all； are now the men that find fault and abuse others： that it had been much better for the King to have given Sir J。 Minnes and Sir W。 Batten 1000l。 a…year to have sat still； than to have had them in this business this war： that the serving a prince that minds not his business is most unhappy for them that serve him well； and an unhappiness so great that he declares he will never have more to do with a war under him。 That he hath papers which do flatly contradict the Duke of Albemarle's Narrative； and that he hath been with the Duke of Albemarle and showed him them； to prevent his falling into another like fault： that the Duke of Albemarle seems to be able to answer them； but he thinks that the Duke of Albemarle and the Prince are contented to let their Narratives sleep； they being not only contradictory in some things （as he observed about the business of the Duke of Albemarle's being to follow the Prince upon the dividing the fleet in case the enemy come out）； but neither of them to be maintained in others。 That the business the other night of my Lord Anglesy at the Council was happily got over for my Lord； by his d
