Colbert, received in the banqueting house. I had never seen a richer
coach than that which he came in to Whitehall. Standing by his Majesty
at dinner in the presence, there was of that rare fruit called the
king-pine, growing in Barbadoes and the West Indies; the first of them I
had ever seen. His Majesty having cut it up, was pleased to give me a
piece off his own plate to taste of; but, in my opinion, it falls short
of those ravishing varieties of deliciousness described in Captain
Ligon's history, and others; but possibly it might, or certainly was,
much impaired in coming so far; it has yet a grateful acidity, but
tastes more like the quince and melon than of any other fruit he
mentions.
28th August, 1668. Published my book on "The Perfection of Painting,"
dedicated to Mr. Howard.
17th September, 1668. I entertained Signor Muccinigo, the Venetian
Ambassador, of one of the noblest families of the State, this being the
day of making his public entry, setting forth from my house with several
gentlemen of Venice and others in a very glorious train. He staid with
me till the Earl of Anglesea and Sir Charles Cotterell (master of the
ceremonies) came with the King's barge to carry him to the Tower, where
the guns were fired at his landing; he then entered his Majesty's coach,
followed by many others of the nobility. I accompanied him to his house,
where there was a most noble supper to all the company, of course. After
the extraordinary compliments to me and my wife, for the civilities he
received at my house, I took leave and returned. He is a very
accomplished person. He is since Ambassador at Rome.
29th September, 1668. I had much discourse with Signor Pietro Cisij, a
Persian gentleman, about the affairs of Turkey, to my great
satisfaction. I went to see Sir Elias Leighton's project of a cart with
iron axletrees.
8th November, 1668. Being at dinner, my sister Evelyn sent for me to
come up to London to my continuing sick brother.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
14th November, 1668. To London, invited to the consecration of that
excellent person, the Dean of Ripon, Dr. Wilkins, now made Bishop of
Chester; it was at Ely House, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Cosin,
Bishop of Durham, the Bishops of Ely, Salisbury, Rochester, and others
officiating. Dr. Tillotson preached. Then, we went to a sumptuous dinner
in the hall, where were the Duke of Buckingham, Judges, Secretaries of
State, Lord-Keeper, Council, Noblemen, and innumerable other company,
who were honorers of this incomparable man, universally beloved by all
who knew him.
This being the Queen's birthday, great was the gallantry at Whitehall,
and the night celebrated with very fine fireworks.
My poor brother continuing ill, I went not from him till the 17th, when,
dining at the Groom Porters, I heard Sir Edward Sutton play excellently
on the Irish harp; he performs genteelly, but not approaching my worthy
friend, Mr. Clark, a gentleman of Northumberland, who makes it execute
lute, viol, and all the harmony an instrument is capable of; pity it is
that it is not more in use; but, indeed, to play well, takes up the
whole man, as Mr. Clark has assured me, who, though a gentleman of
quality and parts, was yet brought up to that instrument from five years
old, as I remember he told me.
25th November, 1668. I waited on Lord Sandwich, who presented me with a
Sembrador he brought out of Spain, showing me his two books of
observations made during his embassy and stay at Madrid, in which were
several rare things he promised to impart to me.
27th November, 1668. I dined at my Lord Ashley's (since Earl of
Shaftesbury), when the match of my niece was proposed for his only son,
in which my assistance was desired for my Lord.
28th November, 1668. Dr. Patrick preached at Convent Garden, on Acts
xvii. 31, the certainty of Christ's coming to judgment, it being Advent;
a most suitable discourse.
19th December, 1668. I went to see the old play of "Cataline" acted,
having been now forgotten almost forty years.
20th December, 1668. I dined with my Lord Cornbury, at Clarendon House,
now bravely furnished, especially with the pictures of most of our
ancient and modern wits, poets, philosophers, famous and learned
Englishmen; which collection of the Chancellor's I much commended, and
gave his Lordship a catalogue of more to be added.
31st December, 1668. I entertained my kind neighbors, according to
custom, giving Almighty God thanks for his gracious mercies to me the
past year.
1st January, 1669. Imploring his blessing for the year entering, I went
to church, where our Doctor preached on Psalm lxv. 12, apposite to the
season, and beginning a new year.
3d January, 1669. About this time one of Sir William Penn's sons had
published a blasphemous book against the Deity of our Blessed Lord.
29th January, 1669. I went to see a tall gigantic woman who measured 6
feet 10 inches high, at 21 years old, born in the Low Countries.
13th February, 1669. I presented his Majesty with my "History of the
Four Impostors;"[15] he told me of other like cheats. I gave my book to
Lord Arlington, to whom I dedicated it. It was now that he began to
tempt me about writing "The Dutch War."
[Footnote 15: Reprinted in Evelyn's "Miscellaneous Writings."]
15th February, 1669. Saw Mrs. Phillips' "Horace" acted again.
18th February, 1669. To the Royal Society, when Signor Malpighi, an
Italian physician and anatomist, sent this learned body the incomparable
"History of the Silk-worm."
1st March, 1669. Dined at Lord Arlington's at Goring House, with the
Bishop of Hereford.
4th March, 1669. To the Council of the Royal Society, about disposing
my Lord Howard's library, now given to us.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
16th March, 1669. To London, to place Mr. Christopher Wase about my Lord
Arlington.
18th March, 1669. I went with Lord Howard of Norfolk, to visit Sir
William Ducie at Charlton, where we dined; the servants made our
coachmen so drunk, that they both fell off their boxes on the heath,
where we were fain to leave them, and were driven to London by two
servants of my Lord's. This barbarous custom of making the masters
welcome by intoxicating the servants, had now the second time happened
to my coachmen.
My son finally came from Oxford.
2d April, 1669. Dined at Mr. Treasurer's, where was (with many noblemen)
Colonel Titus of the bedchamber, author of the famous piece against
Cromwell, "Killing no Murder."
I now placed Mr. Wase with Mr. Williamson, Secretary to the Secretary of
State, and Clerk of the Papers.
14th April, 1669. I dined with the Archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth,
and saw the library, which was not very considerable.
19th May, 1669. At a Council of the Royal Society our grant was
finished, in which his Majesty gives us Chelsea College, and some land
about it. It was ordered that five should be a quorum for a Council. The
Vice-President was then sworn for the first time, and it was proposed
how we should receive the Prince of Tuscany, who desired to visit the
Society.
20th May, 1669. This evening, at 10 o'clock, was born my third daughter,
who was baptized on the 25th by the name of Susannah.
3d June, 1669. Went to take leave of Lord Howard, going Ambassador to
Morocco. Dined at Lord Arlington's, where were the Earl of Berkshire,
Lord Saint John, Sir Robert Howard, and Sir R. Holmes.
10th June, 1669. Came my Lord Cornbury, Sir William Pulteney, and others
to visit me. I went this evening to London, to carry Mr. Pepys to my
brother Richard, now exceedingly afflicted with the stone, who had been
successfully cut, and carried the stone as big as a tennis ball to show
him, and encourage his resolution to go through the operation.
30th June, 1669. My wife went a journey of pleasure down the river as
far as the sea, with Mrs. Howard and her daughter, the Maid of Honor,
and others, among whom that excellent creature, Mrs. Blagg.[16]
[Footnote 16: Afterward Mrs. Godolphin, whose life, written by
Evelyn, has been published under the auspices of the Bishop of
Oxford. The affecting circumstances of her death will be found
recorded on pp. 126-27 of the present volume.]
7th July, 1669. I went toward Oxford; lay at Little Wycomb.
[Sidenote: OXFORD]
8th July, 1669. Oxford.
9th July, 1669. In the morning was celebrated the Encænia of the New
Theater, so magnificently built by the munificence of Dr. Gilbert
Sheldon, Archbishop of Canterbury, in which was spent,£25,000, as Sir
Christopher Wren, the architect (as I remember), told me; and yet it was
never seen by the benefactor, my Lord Archbishop having told me that he
never did or ever would see it. It is, in truth, a fabric comparable to
any of this kind of former ages, and doubtless exceeding any of the
present, as this University does for colleges, libraries, schools,
students, and order, all the universities in the world. To the theater
is added the famous Sheldonian printing house. This being at the Act and
the first time of opening the Theater (Acts being formerly kept in St.
Mary's Church, which might be thought indecent, that being a place set
apart for the immediate worship of God, and was the inducement for
building this noble pile), it was now resolved to keep the present Act
in it, and celebrate its dedication with the greatest splendor and
formality that might be; and, therefore, drew a world of strangers, and
other company, to the University, from all parts of the nation.
The Vice-Chancellor, Heads of Houses, and Doctors, being seated in
magisterial seats, the Vice-Chancellor's chair and desk, Proctors, etc.,
covered with _brocatelle_ (a kind of brocade) and cloth of gold; the
University Registrar read the founder's grant and gift of it to the
University for their scholastic exercises upon these solemn occasions.
Then followed Dr. South, the University's orator, in an eloquent speech,
which was very long, and not without some malicious and indecent
reflections on the Royal Society, as underminers of the University;
which was very foolish and untrue, as well as unseasonable. But, to let
that pass from an ill-natured man, the rest was in praise of the
Archbishop and the ingenious architect. This ended, after loud music
from the corridor above, where an organ was placed, there followed
divers panegyric speeches, both in prose and verse, interchangeably
pronounced by the young students placed in the rostrums, in Pindarics,
Eclogues, Heroics, etc., mingled with excellent music, vocal and
instrumental, to entertain the ladies and the rest of the company. A
speech was then made in praise of academical learning. This lasted from
eleven in the morning till seven at night, which was concluded with
ringing of bells, and universal joy and feasting.
10th July, 1669. The next day began the more solemn lectures in all the
faculties, which were performed in the several schools, where all the
Inceptor-Doctors did their exercises, the Professors having first ended
their reading. The assembly now returned to the Theater, where the
_Terræ filius_ (the _University Buffoon_) entertained the auditory with
a tedious, abusive, sarcastical rhapsody, most unbecoming the gravity of
the University, and that so grossly, that unless it be suppressed, it
will be of ill consequence, as I afterward plainly expressed my sense of
it both to the Vice-Chancellor and several Heads of Houses, who were
perfectly ashamed of it, and resolved to take care of it in future. The
old facetious way of rallying upon the questions was left off, falling
wholly upon persons, so that it was rather licentious lying and railing
than genuine and noble wit. In my life, I was never witness of so
shameful an entertainment.
After this ribaldry, the Proctors made their speeches. Then began the
music art, vocal and instrumental, above in the balustrade corridor
opposite to the Vice-Chancellor's seat. Then Dr. Wallis, the
mathematical Professor, made his oration, and created one Doctor of
music according to the usual ceremonies of gown (which was of white
damask), cap, ring, kiss, etc. Next followed the disputations of the
Inceptor-Doctors in Medicine, the speech of their Professor, Dr. Hyde,
and so in course their respective creations. Then disputed the Inceptors
of Law, the speech of their Professor, and creation. Lastly, Inceptors
of Theology: Dr. Compton (brother of the Earl of Northampton) being
junior, began with great modesty and applause; so the rest. After which,
Dr. Tillotson, Dr. Sprat, etc., and then Dr. Allestree's speech, the
King's Professor, and their respective creations. Last of all, the
Vice-Chancellor, shutting up the whole in a panegyrical oration,
celebrating their benefactor and the rest, apposite to the occasion.
Thus was the Theater dedicated by the scholastic exercises in all the
Faculties with great solemnity; and the night, as the former,
entertaining the new Doctor's friends in feasting and music. I was
invited by Dr. Barlow, the worthy and learned Professor of Queen's
College.
11th July, 1669. The Act sermon was this forenoon preached by Dr. Hall,
in St. Mary's, in an honest, practical discourse against atheism. In the
afternoon, the church was so crowded, that, not coming early, I could
not approach to hear.
12th July, 1669. Monday. Was held the Divinity Act in the Theater again,
when proceeded seventeen Doctors, in all Faculties some.
13th July, 1669. I dined at the Vice-Chancellor's, and spent the
afternoon in seeing the rarities of the public libraries, and visiting
the noble marbles and inscriptions, now inserted in the walls that
compass the area of the Theater, which were 150 of the most ancient and
worthy treasures of that kind in the learned world. Now, observing that
people approach them too near, some idle persons began to scratch and
injure them, I advised that a hedge of holly should be planted at the
foot of the wall, to be kept breast-high only to protect them; which the
Vice-Chancellor promised to do the next season.
14th July, 1669. Dr. Fell, Dean of Christ Church and Vice-Chancellor,
with Dr. Allestree, Professor, with beadles and maces before them, came
to visit me at my lodging. I went to visit Lord Howard's sons at
Magdalen College.
15th July, 1669. Having two days before had notice that the University
intended me the honor of Doctorship, I was this morning attended by the
beadles belonging to the Law, who conducted me to the Theater, where I
found the Duke of Ormond (now Chancellor of the University) with the
Earl of Chesterfield and Mr. Spencer (brother to the late Earl of
Sunderland). Thence, we marched to the Convocation House, a convocation
having been called on purpose; here, being all of us robed in the porch,
in scarlet with caps and hoods, we were led in by the Professor of Laws,
and presented respectively by name, with a short eulogy, to the
Vice-Chancellor, who sat in the chair, with all the Doctors and Heads of
Houses and masters about the room, which was exceedingly full. Then,
began the Public Orator his speech, directed chiefly to the Duke of
Ormond, the Chancellor; but in which I had my compliment, in course.
This ended, we were called up, and created Doctors according to the
form, and seated by the Vice-Chancellor among the Doctors, on his right
hand; then, the Vice-Chancellor made a short speech, and so, saluting
our brother Doctors, the pageantry concluded, and the convocation was
dissolved. So formal a creation of honorary Doctors had seldom been
seen, that a convocation should be called on purpose, and speeches made
by the Orator; but they could do no less, their Chancellor being to
receive, or rather do them, this honor. I should have been made Doctor
with the rest at the public Act, but their expectation of their
Chancellor made them defer it. I was then led with my brother Doctors to
an extraordinary entertainment at Doctor Mewes's, head of St. John's
College, and, after abundance of feasting and compliments, having
visited the Vice-Chancellor and other Doctors, and given them thanks for
the honor done me, I went toward home the 16th, and got as far as
Windsor, and so to my house the next day.
4th August, 1669. I was invited by Sir Henry Peckham to his reading
feast in the Middle Temple, a pompous entertainment, where were the
Archbishop of Canterbury, all the great Earls and Lords, etc. I had much
discourse with my Lord Winchelsea, a prodigious talker; and the Venetian
Ambassador.
17th August, 1669. To London, spending almost the entire day in
surveying what progress was made in rebuilding the ruinous city, which
now began a little to revive after its sad calamity.
20th August, 1669. I saw the splendid audience of the Danish Ambassador
in the Banqueting House at Whitehall.
23d August, 1669. I went to visit my most excellent and worthy neighbor,
the Lord Bishop of Rochester, at Bromley, which he was now repairing,
after the delapidations of the late Rebellion.
2d September, 1669. I was this day very ill of a pain in my limbs, which
continued most of this week, and was increased by a visit I made to my
old acquaintance, the Earl of Norwich, at his house in Epping Forest,
where are many good pictures put into the wainscot of the rooms, which
Mr. Baker, his Lordship's predecessor there, brought out of Spain;
especially the History of Joseph, a picture of the pious and learned
Picus Mirandula, and an incomparable one of old Breugel. The gardens
were well understood, I mean the _potager_. I returned late in the
evening, ferrying over the water at Greenwich.
26th September, 1669. To church, to give God thanks for my recovery.
3d October, 1669. I received the Blessed Eucharist, to my unspeakable
joy.
21st October, 1669. To the Royal Society, meeting for the first time
after a long recess, during vacation, according to custom; where was
read a description of the prodigious eruption of Mount Etna; and our
English itinerant presented an account of his autumnal peregrination
about England, for which we hired him, bringing dried fowls, fish,
plants, animals, etc.
26th October, 1669. My dear brother continued extremely full of pain,
the Lord be gracious to him!
3d November, 1669. This being the day of meeting for the poor, we dined
neighborly together.
26th November, 1669. I heard an excellent discourse by Dr. Patrick, on
the Resurrection, and afterward, visited the Countess of Kent, my
kinswoman.
8th December, 1669. To London, upon the second edition of my "Sylva,"
which I presented to the Royal Society.
6th February, 1669-70. Dr. John Breton, Master of Emmanuel College, in
Cambridge (uncle to our vicar), preached on John i. 27; "whose
shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose," etc., describing the various
fashions of shoes, or sandals, worn by the Jews, and other nations: of
the ornaments of the feet: how great persons had servants that took them
off when they came to their houses, and bore them after them: by which
pointing the dignity of our Savior, when such a person as St. John
Baptist acknowledged his unworthiness even of that mean office. The
lawfulness, decentness, and necessity, of subordinate degrees and ranks
of men and servants, as well in the Church as State: against the late
levelers, and others of that dangerous rabble, who would have all alike.
3d March, 1670. Finding my brother [Richard] in such exceeding torture,
and that he now began to fall into convulsion-fits, I solemnly set the
next day apart to beg of God to mitigate his sufferings, and prosper the
only means which yet remained for his recovery, he being not only much
wasted, but exceedingly and all along averse from being cut (for the
stone); but, when he at last consented, and it came to the operation,
and all things prepared, his spirit and resolution failed.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
6th March, 1670. Dr. Patrick preached in Covent Garden Church. I
participated of the Blessed Sacrament, recommending to God the
deplorable condition of my dear brother, who was almost in the last
agonies of death. I watched late with him this night. It pleased God to
deliver him out of this miserable life, toward five o'clock this Monday
morning, to my unspeakable grief. He was a brother whom I most dearly
loved, for his many virtues; but two years younger than myself, a sober,
prudent, worthy gentleman. He had married a great fortune, and left one
only daughter, and a noble seat at Woodcot, near Epsom. His body was
opened, and a stone taken out of his bladder, not much bigger than a
nutmeg. I returned home on the 8th, full of sadness, and to bemoan my
loss.
20th March, 1670. A stranger preached at the Savoy French church; the
Liturgy of the Church of England being now used altogether, as
translated into French by Dr. Durell.
21st March, 1670. We all accompanied the corpse of my dear brother to
Epsom Church, where he was decently interred in the chapel belonging to
Woodcot House. A great number of friends and gentlemen of the country
attended, about twenty coaches and six horses, and innumerable people.
22d March, 1670. I went to Westminster, where in the House of Lords I
saw his Majesty sit on his throne, but without his robes, all the peers
sitting with their hats on; the business of the day being the divorce of
my Lord Ross. Such an occasion and sight had not been seen in England
since the time of Henry VIII.[17]
[Footnote 17: Evelyn subjoins in a note: "When there was a project,
1669, for getting a divorce for the King, to facilitate it there was
brought into the House of Lords a bill for dissolving the marriage
of Lord Ross, on account of adultery, and to give him leave to marry
again. This Bill, after great debates, passed by the plurality of
only two votes, and that by the great industry of the Lord's
friends, as well as the Duke's enemies, who carried it on chiefly in
hopes it might be a precedent and inducement for the King to enter
the more easily into their late proposals; nor were they a little
encouraged therein, when they saw the King countenance and drive on
the Bill in Lord Ross's favor. Of eighteen bishops that were in the
House, only two voted for the bill, of which one voted through age,
and one was reputed Socinian." The two bishops favorable to the bill
were Dr. Cosin, Bishop of Durham, and Dr. Wilkins, Bishop of
Chester.]
5th May, 1670. To London, concerning the office of Latin Secretary to
his Majesty, a place of more honor and dignity than profit, the
reversion of which he had promised me.
21st May, 1670. Came to visit me Mr. Henry Saville, and Sir Charles
Scarborough.
26th May, 1670. Receiving a letter from Mr. Philip Howard, Lord Almoner
to the Queen, that Monsieur Evelin, first physician to Madame (who was
now come to Dover to visit the King her brother), was come to town,
greatly desirous to see me; but his stay so short, that he could not
come to me, I went with my brother to meet him at the Tower, where he
was seeing the magazines and other curiosities, having never before been
in England: we renewed our alliance and friendship, with much regret on
both sides that, he being to return toward Dover that evening, we could
not enjoy one another any longer. How this French family, Ivelin, of
Evelin, Normandy, a very ancient and noble house is grafted into our
pedigree, see in the collection brought from Paris, 1650.
16th June, 1670. I went with some friends to the Bear Garden, where was
cock-fighting, dog-fighting, bear and bull-baiting, it being a famous
day for all these butcherly sports, or rather barbarous cruelties. The
bulls did exceedingly well, but the Irish wolf dog exceeded, which was a
tall greyhound, a stately creature indeed, who beat a cruel mastiff. One
of the bulls tossed a dog full into a lady's lap as she sat in one of
the boxes at a considerable height from the arena. Two poor dogs were
killed, and so all ended with the ape on horseback, and I most heartily
weary of the rude and dirty pastime, which I had not seen, I think, in
twenty years before.