I was summoned again to London by the commissioners for new foundations
to be erected within such a distance of London.
6th December, 1658. Now was published my "French Gardener," the first and
best of the kind that introduced the use of the olitory garden to any
purpose.
23d December, 1658. I went with my wife to keep Christmas at my cousin,
George Tuke's, at Cressing Temple, in Essex. Lay that night at Brentwood.
25th December, 1658. Here was no public service, but what we privately
used. I blessed God for his mercies the year past; and 1st of January,
begged a continuance of them. Thus, for three Sundays, by reason of the
incumbent's death, here was neither praying nor preaching, though there
was a chapel in the house.
17th January, 1659. Our old vicar preached, taking leave of the parish in
a pathetical speech, to go to a living in the city.
24th March, 1659. I went to London, to speak to the patron, Alderman
Cuttler, about presenting a fit pastor for our destitute parish church.
5th April, 1659. Came the Earl of Northampton and the famous painter, Mr.
Wright, to visit me.
10th April, 1659. One Mr. Littler, being now presented to the living of
our parish, preached on John vi. 55, a sermon preparatory to the Holy
Sacrament.
25th April, 1659. A wonderful and sudden change in the face of the
public; the new protector, Richard, slighted; several pretenders and
parties strive for the government: all anarchy and confusion; Lord have
mercy on us!
5th May, 1659. I went to visit my brother in London; and next day, to see
a new opera, after the Italian way, in recitative music and scenes, much
inferior to the Italian composure and magnificence; but it was prodigious
that in a time of such public consternation such a vanity should be kept
up, or permitted. I, being engaged with company, could not decently
resist the going to see it, though my heart smote me for it.
7th May, 1659. Came the Ambassador of Holland and his lady to visit me,
and stayed the whole afternoon.
12th May, 1659. I returned the visit, discoursing much of the
revolutions, etc.
19th May, 1659. Came to dine with me my Lord Galloway and his son, a
Scotch Lord and learned: also my brother and his lady, Lord Berkeley and
his lady, Mrs. Shirley, and the famous singer, Mrs. Knight,[60] and other
friends.
[Footnote 60: Afterward one of Charles II.'s mistresses.]
23d May, 1659. I went to Rookwood, and dined with Sir William Hicks,
where was a great feast and much company. It is a melancholy old house,
environed with trees and rooks.
26th May, 1659. Came to see me my Lord George Berkeley, Sir William
Ducie, and Sir George Pott's son of Norfolk.
29th May, 1659. The nation was now in extreme confusion and unsettled,
between the Armies and the Sectaries, the poor Church of England
breathing as it were her last; so sad a face of things had overspread us.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
7th June, 1659. To London, to take leave of my brother, and see the
foundations now laying for a long street and buildings in Hatton Garden,
designed for a little town, lately an ample garden.
1st September, 1659. I communicated to Mr. Robert Boyle, son to the Earl
of Cork, my proposal for erecting a philosophic and mathematic college.
15th September, 1659. Came to see me Mr. Brereton,[61] a very learned
gentleman, son to my Lord Brereton, with his and divers other ladies.
Also, Henry Howard of Norfolk, since Duke of Norfolk.
[Footnote 61: William, afterward third Lord Brereton; an
accomplished and able man, who assisted Evelyn in establishing the
Royal Society. He died in 1679.]
30th September, 1659. I went to visit Sir William Ducie and Colonel
Blount, where I met Sir Henry Blount, the famous traveler and water
drinker.
10th October, 1659. I came with my wife and family to London: took
lodgings at the Three Feathers, in Russell Street, Covent Garden, for the
winter, my son being very unwell.
11th October, 1659. Came to visit me Mr. William Coventry (since
secretary to the Duke), son to the Lord Keeper, a wise and witty
gentleman.
The Army now turned out the Parliament. We had now no government in the
nation: all in confusion; no magistrate either owned or pretended; but
the soldiers, and they not agreed. God Almighty have mercy on us, and
settle us!
17th October, 1659. I visited Mr. Howard, at Arundel House, who gave me a
fair onyx set in gold, and showed me his design of a palace there.
21st October, 1659. A private fast was kept by the Church of England
Protestants in town, to beg of God the removal of his judgments, with
devout prayers for his mercy to our calamitous Church.
7th November, 1659. Was published my bold "Apology for the King" in this
time of danger, when it was capital to speak or write in favor of him. It
was twice printed; so universally it took.
9th November, 1659. We observed our solemn Fast for the calamity of our
Church.
12th November, 1659. I went to see the several drugs for the confection
of treacle, dioscordium, and other electuaries, which an ingenious
apothecary had not only prepared and ranged on a large and very long
table, but covered every ingredient with a sheet of paper, on which was
very lively painted the thing in miniature, well to the life, were it
plant, flower, animal, or other exotic drug.
15th November, 1659. Dined with the Dutch Ambassador. He did in a manner
acknowledge that his nation mind only their own profit, do nothing out of
gratitude, but collaterally as it relates to their gain, or security; and
therefore the English were to look for nothing of assistance to the
banished King. This was to me no very grateful discourse, though an
ingenuous confession.
18th November, 1659. Mr. Gunning celebrated the wonted Fast, and preached
on Phil. ii. 12, 13.
24th November, 1659. Sir John Evelyn [of Godstone] invited us to the
forty-first wedding-day feast, where was much company of friends.
26th November, 1659. I was introduced into the acquaintance of divers
learned and worthy persons, Sir John Marsham, Mr. Dugdale, Mr. Stanley,
and others.
9th December, 1659. I supped with Mr. Gunning, it being our fast day, Dr.
Fearne, Mr. Thrisco, Mr. Chamberlain, Dr. Henchman, Dr. Wild, and other
devout and learned divines, firm confessors, and excellent persons. Note:
Most of them since made bishops.
10th December, 1659. I treated privately with Colonel Morley, then
Lieutenant of the Tower, and in great trust and power, concerning
delivering it to the King, and the bringing of him in, to the great
hazard of my life, but the Colonel had been my schoolfellow, and I knew
would not betray me.
12th December, 1659. I spent in public concerns for his Majesty, pursuing
the point to bring over Colonel Morley, and his brother-in-law, Fay,
Governor of Portsmouth.
18th December, 1659. Preached that famous divine, Dr. Sanderson (since
Bishop of Lincoln), now eighty years old, on Jer. xxx. 13, concerning the
evil of forsaking God.
29th December, 1659. Came my Lord Count Arundel, of Wardour, to visit me.
I went also to see my Lord Viscount Montague.
31st December, 1659. Settling my domestic affairs in order, blessed God
for his infinite mercies and preservations the past year.
ANNUS MIRABILIS, January 1st, 1659-60. Begging God's blessings for the
following year, I went to Exeter Chapel, when Mr. Gunning began the year
on Galatians iv. 3-7, showing the love of Christ in shedding his blood so
early for us.
12th January, 1660. Wrote to Colonel Morley again to declare for his
Majesty.
22d January, 1660. I went this afternoon to visit Colonel Morley. After
dinner I discoursed with him; but he was very jealous, and would not
believe that Monk came in to do the King any service; I told him that he
might do it without him, and have all the honor. He was still doubtful,
and would resolve on nothing yet, so I took leave.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
3d February, 1660. Kept the Fast. General Monk came now to London out of
Scotland; but no man knew what he would do or declare; yet he was met on
his way by the gentlemen of all the counties which he passed with
petitions that he would recall the old long-interrupted Parliament, and
settle the nation in some order, being at this time in most prodigious
confusion, and under no government, everybody expecting what would be
next and what he would do.
10th February, 1660. Now were the gates of the city broken down by
General Monk; which exceedingly exasperated the city, the soldiers
marching up and down as triumphing over it, and all the old army of the
fanatics put out of their posts and sent out of town.
11th February, 1660. A signal day. Monk, perceiving how infamous and
wretched a pack of knaves would have still usurped the supreme power, and
having intelligence that they intended to take away his commission,
repenting of what he had done to the city, and where he and his forces
were quartered, marches to Whitehall, dissipates that nest of robbers,
and convenes the old Parliament, the Rump Parliament (so called as
retaining some few rotten members of the other) being dissolved; and for
joy whereof were many thousands of rumps roasted publicly in the streets
at the bonfires this night, with ringing of bells, and universal jubilee.
This was the first good omen.
From 17th February to 5th April, I was detained in bed with a kind of
double tertian, the cruel effects of the spleen and other distempers, in
that extremity that my physicians, Drs. Wetherborn, Needham, and Claude,
were in great doubt of my recovery; but it pleased God to deliver me out
of this affliction, for which I render him hearty thanks: going to church
the 8th, and receiving the blessed eucharist.
During this sickness came divers of my relations and friends to visit me,
and it retarded my going into the country longer than I intended;
however, I wrote and printed a letter in defense of his Majesty,[62]
against a wicked forged paper, pretended to be sent from Brussels to
defame his Majesty's person and virtues and render him odious, now when
everybody was in hope and expectation of the General and Parliament
recalling him, and establishing the Government on its ancient and right
basis. The doing this toward the decline of my sickness, and sitting up
long in my bed, had caused a small relapse, out of which it yet pleased
God also to free me, so as by the 14th I was able to go into the country,
which I did to my sweet and native air at Wotton.
[Footnote 62: With the title of "The Late News, or Message from
Brussels Unmasked." This, and the pamphlet which gave rise to it,
are reprinted in "Evelyn's Miscellaneous Writings."]
3d May, 1660. Came the most happy tidings of his Majesty's gracious
declaration and applications to the Parliament, General, and people, and
their dutiful acceptance and acknowledgment, after a most bloody and
unreasonable rebellion of near twenty years. Praised be forever the Lord
of Heaven, who only doeth wondrous things, because his mercy endureth
forever.
8th May, 1660. This day was his Majesty proclaimed in London, etc.
[Sidenote: LONDON]
9th May, 1660. I was desired and designed to accompany my Lord Berkeley
with the public address of the Parliament, General, etc., to the King,
and invite him to come over and assume his Kingly Government, he being
now at Breda; but I was yet so weak, I could not make that journey by
sea, which was not a little to my detriment, so I went to London to
excuse myself, returning the 10th, having yet received a gracious message
from his Majesty by Major Scot and Colonel Tuke.
24th May, 1660. Came to me Colonel Morley, about procuring his pardon,
now too late, seeing his error and neglect of the counsel I gave him, by
which, if he had taken it he had certainly done the great work with the
same ease that Monk did it, who was then in Scotland, and Morley in a
post to have done what he pleased, but his jealousy and fear kept him
from that blessing and honor. I addressed him to Lord Mordaunt, then in
great favor, for his pardon, which he obtained at the cost of £1,000, as
I heard. Oh, the sottish omission of this gentleman! what did I not
undergo of danger in this negotiation, to have brought him over to his
Majesty's interest, when it was entirely in his hands!
29th May, 1660. This day, his Majesty, Charles II. came to London, after
a sad and long exile and calamitous suffering both of the King and
Church, being seventeen years. This was also his birthday, and with a
triumph of above 20,000 horse and foot, brandishing their swords, and
shouting with inexpressible joy; the ways strewn with flowers, the bells
ringing, the streets hung with tapestry, fountains running with wine; the
Mayor, Aldermen, and all the companies, in their liveries, chains of
gold, and banners; Lords and Nobles, clad in cloth of silver, gold, and
velvet; the windows and balconies, all set with ladies; trumpets, music,
and myriads of people flocking, even so far as from Rochester, so as they
were seven hours in passing the city, even from two in the afternoon till
nine at night.
I stood in the Strand and beheld it, and blessed God. And all this was
done without one drop of blood shed, and by that very army which rebelled
against him: but it was the Lord's doing, for such a restoration was
never mentioned in any history, ancient or modern, since the return of
the Jews from their Babylonish captivity; nor so joyful a day and so
bright ever seen in this nation, this happening when to expect or effect
it was past all human policy.
4th June, 1660. I received letters of Sir Richard Browne's landing at
Dover, and also letters from the Queen, which I was to deliver at
Whitehall, not as yet presenting myself to his Majesty, by reason of the
infinite concourse of people. The eagerness of men, women, and children,
to see his Majesty, and kiss his hands, was so great, that he had scarce
leisure to eat for some days, coming as they did from all parts of the
nation; and the King being as willing to give them that satisfaction,
would have none kept out, but gave free access to all sorts of people.
Addressing myself to the Duke, I was carried to his Majesty, when very
few noblemen were with him, and kissed his hands, being very graciously
received. I then returned home, to meet Sir Richard Browne, who came not
till the 8th, after nineteen years exile, during all which time he kept
up in his chapel the Liturgy and Offices of the Church of England, to his
no small honor, and in a time when it was so low, and as many thought
utterly lost, that in various controversies both with Papists and
Sectaries, our divines used to argue for the visibility of the Church,
from his chapel and congregation.