Page:Diary of the times of Charles II Vol. II.djvu/225

210 understanding between the King and your Highness which is so necessary for you both, and which every day (to my great trouble) I see more and more likely to decline; and I am afraid will be quite lost at last, if your Highness will not please to make use of all your prudence and all your temper, (and perhaps some of your address too,) to prevent this misfortune: thus far Mr, Sidney and I were of a mind.

We agreed that it must needs be well for your Highness to come over at this time, but we differed a little upon the pretext you were to take for it; he seemed to think it would be best for your Highness to ask the King's leave that you might come over to wait upon him, as a visit of compliment only, without pretending any business at all, which at another time might perhaps be the best way: but, at this time, considering how things stand between the King and your Highness, the difficulties that have risen about Mr. Skelton's going into Holland, and Mr. Sidney's commanding the troops there, I was of opinion that it would look a great deal better, and I thought be more agreeable to your inclinations, to speak out plainly upon this occasion, and to write to the King that you found