1688

Summary

Saturday January 7 1687[/8]. The Earle of Dorset is put out of his Lord Lieutenancy of Sussex its very likely that either the Lord Abergainey or the Lord Montacute will succeed him.

On Wednesday morning last the Lord Chancellor — writ a letter (some say sent) to his Majesty — to desire him to assigne him a time when he might waite upon him the King — did assigne 5 a clock in the afternoone that day, Then he waited upon him in Mr. Chiffins's roomes, and staid with him about an hour and halfe &c, soone after he went away some of his friends came to attend him, but he was so greatly disordered and discomposed that they could get little discourse from him, nor of a great while ingage him in drinking, by which they concluded that he was to be put out &c he and his Lady (as before he had designed) went to Bulstrode —

He would have declared if he could have had full assurance that he might have continued in, but not otherwise, and that was not well taken, for he should have left that to their generosity and goodnes[.] It is not likely that any old Hereticks should upon their turning be continued in great places. But that place is not like to be vacated yet.

The Proclamation as it was first drawne Ordered the thanksgiving day for the assurance there is of the Queenes being with Child to be kept upon a Tuesday but upon consideration of a suggestion that there [Q227] might probably be no Congregation that day, it was sent for back from the Press and Ordered to be kept upon a Lords day.

Whether the King of France has a designe upon Avinion, and the Restitution of the Dutchy of Castro to the Duke of Parma, or upon Geneva is not certainly known, the latter are very full of feares. It is very probable that if the King of France does fall in upon Italy, and there be a Peace betweene the Port and the Emperour, 〈that〉 then the Venetian and the Emperour would give the Pope the Utmost assistance they could, not only because he has enabled them to carrey on this War against the Turkes, but for their own interest sake. But