9.  The Queen is still in the gout, but recovering:  she saw company in her bed-chamber after church; but the crowd was so great, I could not see her.  I dined with my brother Sir William Wyndham,[1] and some others of our Society, to avoid the great tables on Sunday at Windsor, which I hate.  The usual company supped to-night at Lord Treasurer’s, which was Lord Keeper, Mr. Secretary, George Granville, Masham, Arbuthnot, and I. But showers have hindered me from walking to-day, and that I do not love.—­Noble fruit, and I dare not eat a bit.  I ate one fig to-day, and sometimes a few mulberries, because it is said they are wholesome, and you know a good name does much.  I shall return to town to-morrow, though I thought to have stayed a week, to be at leisure for something I am doing.  But I have put it off till next; for I shall come here again on Saturday, when our Society are to meet at supper at Mr. Secretary’s.  My life is very regular here:  on Sunday morning I constantly visit Lord Keeper, and sup at Lord Treasurer’s with the same set of company.  I was not sleepy to-night; I resolved I would not; yet it is past midnight at this present writing.

London, 10.  Lord Treasurer and Masham and I left Windsor at three this afternoon:  we dropped Masham at Kensington with his lady, and got home by six.  It was seven before we sat down to dinner, and I stayed till past eleven.  Patrick came home with the Secretary:  I am more plagued with Patrick and my portmantua than with myself.  I forgot to tell you that when I went to Windsor on Saturday I overtook Lady Giffard and Mrs. Fenton[2] in a chariot, going, I suppose, to Sheen.  I was then in a chariot too, of Lord Treasurer’s brother, who had business with the Treasurer; and my lord came after, and overtook me at Turnham Green, four miles from London; and then the brother went back, and I went in the coach with Lord Treasurer:  so it happened that those people saw me, and not with Lord Treasurer.  Mrs. F. was to see me about a week ago; and desired I would get her son into the Charter-house.

11.  This morning the printer sent me an account of Prior’s Journey;[3] it makes a twopenny pamphlet.  I suppose you will see it, for I dare engage it will run; ’tis a formal, grave lie, from the beginning to the end.  I writ all but about the last page; that I dictated, and the printer writ.  Mr. Secretary sent to me to dine where he did; it was at Prior’s:  when I came in, Prior showed me the pamphlet, seemed to be angry, and said, “Here is our English liberty!” I read some of it, and said I liked it mightily, and envied the rogue the thought; for, had it come into my head, I should have certainly done it myself.  We stayed at Prior’s till past ten; and then the Secretary received a packet with the news of Bouchain being taken, for which the guns will go off to-morrow.  Prior owned his having been in France, for it was past denying:  it seems he was discovered by a rascal at Dover, who had positive orders to let him pass.  I believe we shall have a peace.