Windsor, 28.  I came here a day sooner than ordinary, at Mr. Secretary’s desire, and supped with him and Prior, and two private Ministers from France, and a French priest.[6] I know not the two Ministers’ names; but they are come about the peace.  The names the Secretary called them, I suppose, were feigned; they were good rational men.  We have already settled all things with France, and very much to the honour and advantage of England; and the Queen is in mighty good humour.  All this news is a mighty secret; the people in general know that a peace is forwarding.  The Earl of Strafford[7] is to go soon to Holland, and let them know what we have been doing:  and then there will be the devil and all to pay; but we’ll make them swallow it with a pox.  The French Ministers stayed with us till one, and the Secretary and I sat up talking till two; so you will own ’tis late, sirrahs, and time for your little saucy Presto to go to bed and sleep adazy; and God bless poor little MD:  I hope they are now fast asleep, and dreaming of Presto.

29.  Lord Treasurer came to-night, as usual, at half an hour after eight, as dark as pitch.  I am weary of chiding him; so I commended him for observing his friend’s advice, and coming so early, etc.  I was two hours with Lady Oglethorpe[8] to-night, and then supped with Lord Treasurer, after dining at the Green Cloth:  I stayed till two; this is the effect of Lord Treasurer’s being here; I must sup with him; and he keeps cursed hours.  Lord Keeper and the Secretary were absent; they cannot sit up with him.  This long sitting up makes the periods in my letters so short.  I design to stay here all the next week, to be at leisure by myself, to finish something of weight I have upon my hands, and which must soon be done.  I shall then think of returning to Ireland, if these people will let me; and I know nothing else they have for me to do.  I gave Dr. Arbuthnot my thanks for his kindness to Bernage, whose commission is now signed.  Methinks I long to know something of Stella’s health, how it continues after Wexford waters.

30.  The Queen was not at chapel to-day, and all for the better, for we had a dunce to preach:  she has a little of the gout.  I dined with my brother Masham, and a moderate company, and would not go to Lord Treasurer’s till after supper at eleven o’clock, and pretended I had mistaken the hour; so I ate nothing:  and a little after twelve the company broke up, the Keeper and Secretary refusing to stay; so I saved this night’s debauch.  Prior went away yesterday with his Frenchmen, and a thousand reports are raised in this town.  Some said they knew one to be the Abbe de Polignac:  others swore it was the Abbe du Bois.  The Whigs are in a rage about the peace; but we’ll wherret[9] them, I warrant, boys.  Go, go, go to the Dean’s and don’t mind politics, young women, they are not good after the waters; they are stark naught:  they strike up into the head.  Go, get two black aces, and fish for a manilio.