d so my journal must have a break; so good-morrow, etc.

4, 5. I dined yesterday at Bucklebury, where we lay two nights, and set
out this morning at eight, and were here at twelve; in four hours we
went twenty-six miles. Mr. Secretary was a perfect country gentleman at
Bucklebury: he smoked tobacco with one or two neighbours; he inquired
after the wheat in such a field; he went to visit his hounds, and
knew all their names; he and his lady saw me to my chamber just in the
country fashion. His house is in the midst of near three thousand pounds
a year he had by his lady,(15) who is descended from Jack Newbury, of
whom books and ballads are written; and there is an old picture of him
in the house. She is a great favourite of mine. I lost church to-day;
but I dressed and shaved, and went to Court, and would not dine with the
Secretary, but engaged myself to a private dinner with Mr. Lewis, and
one friend more. We go to London to-morrow; for Lord Dartmouth, the
other Secretary, is come, and they are here their weeks by turns.

6. Lord Treasurer comes every Saturday to Windsor, and goes away on
Monday or Tuesday. I was with him this morning at his levee, for one
cannot see him otherwise here, he is so hurried: we had some talk; and
I told him I would stay this week at Windsor by myself, where I can have
more leisure to do some business that concerns them. Lord Treasurer
and the Secretary thought to mortify me; for they told me they had been
talking a great deal of me to-day to the Queen, and she said she had
never heard of me. I told them that was their fault, and not hers, etc.,
and so we laughed. I dined with the Secretary, and let him go to London
at five without me; and here am I alone in the Prebendary's house, which
Mr. Secretary has taken; only Mr. Lewis is in my neighbourhood, and we
shall be good company. The Vice-Chamberlain,(16) and Mr. Masham, and the
Green Cloth,(17) have promised me dinners. I shall want but four till
Mr. Secretary returns. We have a music-meeting in our town to-night.
I went to the rehearsal of it, and there was Margarita,(18) and her
sister, and another drab, and a parcel of fiddlers: I was weary, and
would not go to the meeting, which I am sorry for, because I heard it
was a great assembly. Mr. Lewis came from it, and sat with me till just
now; and 'tis late.

7. I can do no business, I fear, because Mr. Lewis, who has nothing or
little to do here, sticks close to me. I dined today with the