23rd.The English merchants at Dort came to see me. At noon, I went to see the Prince: I told him of all the King had commanded me : his chief answer was, he desired nothing so much as what was good for the King, without consideration for himself; hut I find he is not at all pleased, and is apt to believe that, though we have not fallen in with France already, that we shall do so before it be long. I told him what the King resolved concerning the public; he said he must speak to the Pensioner, to consider what way is best to turn this indifference of the King's, for I told him the King would propose nothing; that any thing they offered he would receive with great joy and satisfaction; but he took no pleasure in being refused, which he was the other day: he is against Sir William Temple's quitting; he told me he knew the reason why the Duke was not kind to Sir William. In the evening I was again with the Prince; we talked of the Duke of Monmouth; he said he thought it not fit to make any excuse, because he did not think there was any fault.[1] He is against
- ↑ He used him no better than he thought he ought to do one that the King writ such kind letters to; and it is impossible not to do more than ordinary, for he makes the greatest court and application that can be.—Orig. N.
