Pepy's Diary. 01 May 1667. After dinner my Lord took me alone and walked with me, giving me an account of the meeting of the Commissioners for Accounts, whereof he is one. How some of the gentlemen, Garraway (age 50), Littleton (age 46), and others, did scruple at their first coming there, being called thither to act, as Members of Parliament, which they could not do by any authority but that of Parliament, and therefore desired the King's direction in it, which was sent for by my Lord Bridgewater (age 43), who brought answer, very short, that the King (age 36) expected they should obey his Commission. Then they went on, and observed a power to be given them of administering and framing an oath, which they thought they could not do by any power but Act of Parliament; and the whole Commission did think fit to have the judges' opinion in it; and so, drawing up their scruples in writing, they all attended the King (age 36), who told them he would send to the judges to be answered, and did so; who have, my Lord tells me, met three times about it, not knowing what answer to give to it; and they have met this week, doing nothing but expecting the solution of the judges in this point. My Lord tells me he do believe this Commission will do more hurt than good; it may undo some accounts, if these men shall think fit; but it can never clear an account, for he must come into the Exchequer for all this. Besides, it is a kind of inquisition that hath seldom ever been granted in England; and he believes it will never, besides, give any satisfaction to the People or Parliament, but be looked upon as a forced, packed business of the King (age 36), especially if these Parliament-men that are of it shall not concur with them: which he doubts they will not, and, therefore, wishes much that the King (age 36) would lay hold of this fit occasion, and let the Commission fall.

Pepy's Diary. 19 Jun 1667. While we were discoursing over our publique misfortunes, I am called in to a large Committee of the Council: present the Duke of Albemarle (age 58), Anglesey (age 52), Arlington (age 49), Ashly (age 45), Carteret (age 57), Duncomb (age 44), Coventry (age 39), Ingram (age 52), Clifford (age 36), Lauderdale (age 51), Morrice (age 64), Manchester (age 65), Craven (age 59), Carlisle (age 38), Bridgewater (age 44).

Pepy's Diary. 30 Jul 1667. After dinner by coach to White Hall, calling on two or three tradesmen and paying their bills, and so to White Hall, to the Treasury-chamber, where I did speak with the Lords, and did my business about getting them to assent to 10 per cent. interest on the 11 months tax, but find them mightily put to it for money. Here I do hear that there are three Lords more to be added to them; my Lord Bridgewater (age 44), my Lord Anglesey (age 53), and my Lord Camberlaine. Having done my business, I to Creed's chamber, and thence out with Creed to White Hall with him; in our way, meeting with Mr. Cooling, my Lord Camberlain's secretary, on horseback, who stopped to speak with us, and he proved very drunk, and did talk, and would have talked all night with us, I not being able to break loose from him, he holding me so by the hand. But, Lord! to see his present humour, how he swears at every word, and talks of the King (age 37) and my Baroness Castlemayne (age 26) in the plainest words in the world. And from him I gather that the story I learned yesterday is true-that the King (age 37) hath declared that he did not get the child of which she is conceived at this time, he having not as he says lain with her this half year. But she told him, "God damn me, but you shall own it!" It seems, he is jealous of Jermin, and she loves him so, that the thoughts of his marrying of my Lady Falmouth puts her into fits of the mother; and he, it seems, hath lain with her from time to time, continually, for a good while; and once, as this Cooling says, the King (age 37) had like to have taken him a-bed with her, but that he was fain to creep under the bed into her closet.... [Missing text ' He says that for a good while the King's greatest pleasure hath been with his fingers, being able to do no more.']