in the Navy did spend in the whole expence of the
kingdom 2,600,000l. That all the Court are mad for a Dutch war;
but both he and I did concur, that it was a thing rather to be
dreaded than hoped for; unless by the French King's falling upon
Flanders, they and the Dutch should be divided. That our
Embassador had, it is true, an audience; but in the most
dishonourable way that could be; for the Princes of the Blood
(though invited by our Embassador, which was the greatest
absurdity that ever Embassador committed these 400 years) were
not there; and so were not said to give place to our King's
Embassador. And that our King did openly say, the other day in
the Privy Chamber, that he would not be hectored out of his right
and pre-eminences by the King of France, as great as he was.
That the Pope is glad to yield to a peace with the French (as the
news-book says,) upon the basest terms that ever was. That the
talk which these people about our King, that I named before,
have, is to tell him how neither priviledge of Parliament nor
City is any thing; but that his will is all, and ought to be so:
and their discourse, it seems, when they are alone, is so base
and sordid, that it makes the eares of the very gentlemen of the
back stairs (I think he called them) to tingle to hear it spoke
in the King's hearing; and that must be very bad indeed.
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