That at a certain time
Mr. Povy did carry him an account of the state of the Duke of
York's estate, showing in faithfullness how he spent more than
his estate would bear, by above 20,000l. per annum, and asked my
Lord's opinion of it; to which he answered, that no man that
loved the King or kingdom durst own the writing of that paper:
at which Povy was started, and reckoned himself undone for this
good service, and found it necessary then to show it to the Duke
of York's Commissioners; who read, examined, and approved of it,
so as to cause it to be put into form, and signed it, and gave it
to the Duke. Now the end of the Chancellor was, for fear that
his daughter's ill housewifery should be condemned. He tells me
that the other day, upon this ill news of the Dutch being upon
us, White Hall was shut up, and the Council called and sat close;
(and, by the way he do assure me, from the mouth of some Privy-
councillors, that at this day the Privy-council in general do
know no more what the state of the kingdom as to peace and war
is, than he or I; nor who manages it, nor upon whom it depends;)
and there my Lord Chancellor did make a speech to them, saying
that they knew well that he was no friend to the war from the
beginning, and therefore had concerned himself little in, nor
could say much to it; and a great deal of that kind to discharge
himself of the fault of the war.
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