John Evelyn’s diary, 1685

It proved so sharp weather, and so long and cruel a frost, that the Thames was frozen across, but the frost was often dissolved, and then froze again.

A young man preached upon St. Luke xiii. 5, after the Presbyterian tedious method and repetition.

I dined at Lord Newport's, who had some excellent pictures, especially that of Sir Thomas Hanmer, by Vandyke, one of the best he ever painted; another of our…

Dr. Dove preached before the King. I saw this evening such a scene of profuse gaming, and the King in the midst of his three concubines, as I have never before…

I dined at Lord Sunderland's, being invited to hear that celebrated voice of Mr. Pordage, newly come from Rome; his singing was after the Venetian recitative, as…

I was invited to my Lord Arundel's, of Wardour (now newly released of his six years' confinement in the Tower on suspicion of the plot called Oates's Plot), where…

I went to London, hearing his Majesty had been the Monday before (2d February) surprised in his bedchamber with an apoplectic fit, so that if, by God's providence,…

Being sent to by the Sheriff of the County to appear and assist in proclaiming the King, I went the next day to Bromley, where I met the Sheriff and the Commander…

I passed a fine on selling of Honson Grange in Staffordshire, being about £20 per annum, which lying so great a distance, I thought fit to part with it to one…

The King was this night very obscurely buried in a vault under Henry VII.'s Chapel at Westminster, without any manner of pomp, and soon forgotten after all this…

Dr. Tenison preached to the household. The second sermon should have been before the King; but he, to the great grief of his subjects, did now, for the first time,…

I dined at Sir Robert Howard's, auditor of the exchequer, a gentleman pretending to all manner of arts and sciences, for which he had been the subject of comedy,…

This morning his Majesty restored the staff and key to Lord Arlington, Chamberlain; to Mr. Savell, Vice-chamberlain; to Lords Newport and Maynard, Treasurer and…

The Lord Treasurer and the other new officers were sworn at the Chancery Bar and the exchequer. The late King having the revenue of excise, customs, and other late…

Several most useful tracts against Dissenters, Papists and Fanatics, and resolutions of cases were now published by the London divines.

Ash Wednesday. After evening prayers, I went to London.

To my grief, I saw the new pulpit set up in the Popish Oratory at Whitehall for the Lent preaching, mass being publicly said, and the Romanists swarming at Court…

Lent preachers continued as formerly in the Royal Chapel.

My daughter, Mary, was taken with smallpox, and there soon was found no hope of her recovery. A great affliction to me: but God's holy will be done!

She received the blessed sacrament; after which, disposing herself to suffer what God should determine to inflict, she bore the remainder of her sickness with…

She was interred in the southeast end of the church at Deptford, near her grandmother and several of my younger children and relations. My desire was she should…

I was invited to the funeral of Captain Gunman, that excellent pilot and seaman, who had behaved himself so gallantly in the Dutch war. He died of a gangrene,…

Being now somewhat composed after my great affliction, I went to London to hear Dr. Tenison (it being on a Wednesday in Lent) at Whitehall. I observed that though…

I went early to Whitehall to hear Dr. Tillotson, Dean of Canterbury, preaching on Eccles. ix. 18. I returned in the evening, and visited Lady Tuke, and found with…

According to my custom, I went to London to pass the holy week.

Good Friday. Dr. Tenison preached at the new church at St. James, on 1 Cor. xvi. 22, upon the infinite love of God to us, which he illustrated in many instances.…

Was the coronation of the King and Queen. The solemnity was magnificent as is set forth in print. The Bishop of Ely preached; but, to the sorrow of the people, no…

A young man preached, going chaplain with Sir J. Wiburn, Governor of Bombay, in the East Indies.

I was in Westminster Hall when Oates, who had made such a stir in the kingdom, on his revealing a plot of the Papists, and alarmed several Parliaments, and had…

The Scots valuing themselves exceedingly to have been the first Parliament called by his Majesty, gave the excise and customs to him and his successors forever; the…

Oates was sentenced to be whipped and pilloried with the utmost severity.

I dined at my Lord Privy Seal's with Sir William Dugdale, Garter King-at-Arms, author of the "Monasticon" and other learned works; he told me he was 82 years of…

In the morning, I went with a French gentleman, and my Lord Privy Seal to the House of Lords, where we were placed by his Lordship next the bar, just below the…

We had hitherto not any rain for many months, so as the caterpillars had already devoured all the winter fruit through the whole land, and even killed several…

Came to visit and take leave of me Sir Gabriel Sylvius, now going Envoy-extraordinary into Denmark, with his secretary and chaplain, a Frenchman, who related the…

There was now certain intelligence of the Duke of Monmouth landing at Lyme, in Dorsetshire, and of his having set up his standard as King of England. I pray God…

The Duke landed with but 150 men; but the whole kingdom was alarmed, fearing that the disaffected would join them, many of the trained bands flocking to him. At his…

I received a warrant to send out a horse with twelve days' provisions, etc.

We had now plentiful rain after two years' excessive drought and severe winters. Argyle taken in Scotland, and executed, and his party dispersed.

No considerable account of the troops sent against the Duke, though great forces sent. There was a smart skirmish; but he would not be provoked to come to an…

Came news of Monmouth's utter defeat, and the next day of his being taken by Sir William Portman and Lord Lumley with the militia of their counties. It seems the…

Just as I was coming into the lodgings at Whitehall, a little before dinner, my Lord of Devonshire standing very near his Majesty's bedchamber door in the lobby,…

The Count of Castel Mellor, that great favorite and prime minister of Alphonso, late King of Portugal, after several years' banishment, being now received to grace…

I went to see Dr. Tenison's library . Monmouth was this day brought to London and examined before the King, to whom he made great submission, acknowledged his…

I went to see the muster of the six Scotch and English regiments whom the Prince of Orange had lately sent to his Majesty out of Holland upon this rebellion, but…

The Trinity Company met this day, which should have been on the Monday after Trinity, but was put off by reason of the Royal Charter being so large, that it could…

I went to see Mr. Watts, keeper of the Apothecaries' garden of simples at Chelsea, where there is a collection of innumerable rarities of that sort particularly,…

Came to visit us Mr. Boscawen, with my Lord Godolphin's little son, with whose education hitherto his father had intrusted me.

My daughter Elizabeth died of the smallpox, soon after having married a young man, nephew of Sir John Tippett, Surveyor of the Navy, and one of the Commissioners.…

Lord Clarendon (Lord Privy Seal) wrote to let me know that the King being pleased to send him Lord-Lieutenant into Ireland, was also pleased to nominate me one of…

I accompanied his Lordship to Windsor (dining by the way of Sir Henry Capel's at Kew), where his Majesty receiving me with extraordinary kindness, I kissed his…

Sunday. I went to prayer in the chapel, and heard Dr. Standish. The second sermon was preached by Dr. Creighton, on 1 Thess. iv. 11, persuading to unity and peace,…

I accompanied Mr. Pepys to Portsmouth, whither his Majesty was going the first time since his coming to the Crown, to see in what state the fortifications were. We…

The next morning, setting out early, we arrived soon enough at Winchester to wait on the King, who was lodged at the Dean's (Dr. Meggot). I found very few with him…

Early next morning, we went to Portsmouth, something before his Majesty arrived. We found all the road full of people, the women in their best dress, in expectation…

Lord Clarendon's commission for Lieutenant of Ireland was sealed this day.

Having a letter sent me by Mr. Pepys with this expression at the foot of it, "I have something to show you that I may not have another time," and that I would not…

I had my picture drawn this week by the famous Kneller.

I went to London about finishing my lodgings at Whitehall.

Being the King's birthday, there was a solemn ball at Court, and before it music of instruments and voices. I happened by accident to stand the very next to the…

The King was now building all that range from east to west by the court and garden to the street, and making a new chapel for the Queen, whose lodgings were to be…

I accompanied my Lady Clarendon to her house at Swallowfield, in Berks, dining by the way at Mr. Graham's lodge at Bagshot; the house, newly repaired and capacious…

We returned to London, having been treated with all sorts of cheer and noble freedom by that most religious and virtuous lady. She was now preparing to go for…

I was invited to dine at Sir Stephen Fox's with my Lord Lieutenant, where was such a dinner for variety of all things as I had seldom seen, and it was so for the…

At the Royal Society, an urn full of bones was presented, dug up in a highway, while repairing it, in a field in Camberwell, in Surrey; it was found entire with its…

I dined at our great Lord Chancellor Jefferies', who used me with much respect. This was the late Chief-Justice who had newly been the Western Circuit to try the…

The French persecution of the Protestants raging with the utmost barbarity, exceeded even what the very heathens used: innumerable persons of the greatest birth and…

It being an extraordinarily wet morning, and myself indisposed by a very great rheum, I did not go to church, to my very great sorrow, it being the first Gunpowder…

Began the Parliament. The King in his speech required continuance of a standing force instead of a militia, and indemnity and dispensation to Popish officers from…

The Commons postponed finishing the bill for the Supply, to consider the Test, and Popish officers; this was carried but by one voice.

I dined at Lambeth, my Lord Archbishop carrying me with him in his barge; there were my Lord Deputy of Ireland, the Bishops of Ely and St. Asaph, Dr. Sherlock, and…

The Parliament was adjourned to February, several both of Lords and Commons excepting against some passage of his Majesty's speech relating to the Test, and…

I resigned my trust for composing a difference between Mr. Thynn and his wife.

Hitherto was a very wet, warm season.

Lord Sunderland was declared President of the Council, and yet to hold his Secretary's place. The forces disposed into several quarters through the kingdom are very…

To Greenwich, being put into the new Commission of Sewers.

Dr. Patrick, Dean of Peterborough, preached at Whitehall, before the Princess of Denmark, who, since his Majesty came to the Crown, always sat in the King's closet,…

I accompanied my Lord-Lieutenant as far as St. Alban's, there going out of town with him near 200 coaches of all the great officers and nobility. The next morning…

I dined at the great entertainment his Majesty gave the Venetian Ambassadors, Signors Zenno and Justiniani, accompanied with ten more noble Venetians of their most…

My Lord Treasurer made me dine with him, where I became acquainted with Monsieur Barillon, the French Ambassador, a learned and crafty advocate.

Dr. Turner, brother to the Bishop of Ely, and sometime tutor to my son, preached at Whitehall on Mark viii. 38, concerning the submission of Christians to their…

Our patent for executing the office of Privy Seal during the absence of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, being this day sealed by the Lord Chancellor, we went…

We were all three Commissioners sworn on our knees by the Clerk of the Crown, before my Lord Chancellor, three several oaths: allegiance, supremacy, and the oath…

Recollecting the passages of the year past, and having made up accounts, humbly besought Almighty God to pardon those my sins which had provoked him to discompose…