Event Comment: See 27 Feb. 1668@9.
Pepys, Diary: I did meet
Sir Jeremy Smith, who did tell me that
Sir W. Coventry was just now sent to the
Tower, about the business of his challenging the
Duke of Buckingham, and so was also
Harry Saville to the
Gate-house....So, meeting with my
Lord Bellassis, he told me the particulars of this matter; that it arises about a quarrel which Sir W. Coventry had with the Duke of Buckingham about a design between the Duke and
Sir Robert Howard, to bring him into a play [
The Rehearsal] at the
King's house, which W. Coventry not enduring, did H. Saville send a letter to the Duke of Buckingham, that he had a desire to speak wi
th him. Upon which, the Duke of Buckingham did bid
Holmes, his champion ever since my
Lord Shrewsbury's business, go
to him to know the business; but H. Saville would not tell it to any but himself, and therefore did go presently to the Duke of Buckingham, and told him that his uncle Coventry was a person of honour, and was sensible of his Grace's liberty taken of abusing him, and that he had a desire of satisfaction, and would fight wi
th him. But that here they were interrupted by my
Lord Chamberlain's coming in, who was commanded to go to bid the Duke of Buckingham to come to the King, Holmes having discovered it