There is a very good river that runs by a Little town Called Darken just at the foote of this hill, very famous for good troutts and great store of ffish. On this hill the top is Cover’d with box whence its name proceeds, and there is other wood but its all Cutt in Long private walks very shady and pleasant, and this is a great diversion to the Company and would be more ffrequented if nearer Epsom town. About 4 miles off is S^r Robert Howards house which I went to see, its a Square building, the yards and offices very Convenient about it, and severall Gardens walled in. All the windows are sashes and Large squares of glass; I observ’d they are double sashes to make y^e house the warmer, for it Stands pretty bleake. Its a brick building. You Enter a hall which opens to the Garden, thence to two parlours, drawing-roomes and good staires, there are abundance of Pictures, above is a Dineing roome and drawing roome with very good tapistry-hangings of Long standing. There is severall bed Chambers well ffurnish’d, good damaske beds and hangings and window Curtaines of the same, and so neatly kept ffolded up in Clean sheets pinn’d about the beds and hangings. There are severall other good beds and ffurniture, one roome all y^e bed and hangings are of a fine damaske made of worsted, it Lookes pretty and with a Gloss Like Camlett, of a Light Ash Coullour. There are good pictures of the family, S^r Robert’s Son and Lady, which was a Daughter of the Newport house, with her Children in a very Large Picture. There is fine adornements of Glass on the Chimney and fine marble Chimney pieces, some Closets with Inlaid floores, its all very neate and fine with the several Courts at the Entrance—this I thinke was all remarkable at Epsome which is 14 mile to London. Another Journey to Broughton in Oxfordshire, my brother’s, and now my nephew’s house, the Lord Say and Seale. I went by Hartfordshire and Bedford from London to Wane 20 mile, thence to Hitching 14 miles, most in Lanes and deep Land, and in the winter bad Roads, but very good Land—good Corn—the wheate Look’d well but Grass and Summer Corn wanted rain, being a drye Spring. Thence to Bedford town 12 mile more, these miles are Longer than those about London and much in Lanes and woods.