Page:Diary of the times of Charles II Vol. I.djvu/112

c for some time of late of Lord Essex, who, I thought, I knew better than he did, so we met for a while once a day, by turns, at each of our houses, and consulted upon the chief affairs which were then on the anvil, and how they might best be prepared for the Parliament or Council; but matters growing very untoward, by the practices of Lord Shaftesbury, with the Duke of Monmouth's cover at least, and upon the ill-humour of the House of Commons about the business of religion, and my Lord Halifax appearing unsatisfied, by observing where the King's confidence was, I proposed to my Lords Sunderland and Essex to receive him into all our consultations, which I thought would both enter him into credit with the King, and give us more ease in the course of his affairs. Lord Essex received the overture with his usual dryness, and told me I should not find Lord Halifax the person I took him for, but one that could draw with nobody, but still climbing up to the top himself. However, I continued resolute in pressing it, and so at length the thing was concluded, and we fell all four together into the usual meetings and consultations."

"During all these transactions (alluding to the