The Journal to Stella eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 853 pages of information about The Journal to Stella.

The Journal to Stella eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 853 pages of information about The Journal to Stella.

Sept. 1.  Morning.  I go to-day to Windsor with Mr. Secretary; and Lord Treasurer has promised to bring me back.  The weather has been fine for some time, and I believe we shall have a great deal of dust.—­At night.  Windsor.  The Secretary and I dined to-day at Parson’s Green, at my Lord Peterborow’s house, who has left it and his gardens to the Secretary during his absence.  It is the finest garden I have ever seen about this town; and abundance of hot walls for grapes, where they are in great plenty, and ripening fast.  I durst not eat any fruit but one fig; but I brought a basket full to my friend Lewis here at Windsor.  Does Stella never eat any? what, no apricots at Donnybrook! nothing but claret and ombre!  I envy people maunching and maunching peaches and grapes, and I not daring to eat a bit.  My head is pretty well, only a sudden turn any time makes me giddy for a moment, and sometimes it feels very stuffed; but if it grows no worse, I can bear it very well.  I take all opportunities of walking; and we have a delicious park here just joining to the Castle, and an avenue in the great park very wide and two miles long, set with a double row of elms on each side.  Were you ever at Windsor?  I was once, a great while ago; but had quite forgotten it.

2.  The Queen has the gout, and did not come to chapel, nor stir out from her chamber, but received the sacrament there, as she always does the first Sunday in the month.  Yet we had a great Court; and, among others, I saw your Ingoldsby,[11] who, seeing me talk very familiarly with the Keeper, Treasurer, etc., came up and saluted me, and began a very impertinent discourse about the siege of Bouchain.  I told him I could not answer his questions, but I would bring him one that should; so I went and fetched Sutton (who brought over the express about a month ago), and delivered him to the General, and bid him answer his questions; and so I left them together.  Sutton after some time comes back in a rage, finds me with Lord Rivers and Masham, and there complains of the trick I had played him, and swore he had been plagued to death with Ingoldsby’s talk.  But he told me Ingoldsby asked him what I meant by bringing him; so, I suppose, he smoked me a little.  So we laughed, etc.  My Lord Willoughby,[12] who is one of the chaplains, and Prebendary of Windsor, read prayers last night to the family; and the Bishop of Bristol, who is Dean of Windsor, officiated last night at the Cathedral.  This they do to be popular; and it pleases mightily.  I dined with Mr. Masham, because he lets me have a select company:  for the Court here have got by the end a good thing I said to the Secretary some weeks ago.  He showed me his bill of fare, to tempt me to dine with him.  “Poh,” said I, “I value not your bill of fare; give me your bill of company.”  Lord Treasurer was mightily pleased, and told it everybody as a notable thing.  I reckon upon returning to-morrow:  they say the Bishop will then have the Privy Seal delivered him at a great Council.

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The Journal to Stella from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.