John Evelyn’s diary, 1694

Prince Lewis of Baden came to London, and was much feasted. Danish ships arrested carrying corn and naval stores to France.

Supped at Mr. Edward Sheldon's, where was Mr. Dryden, the poet, who now intended to write no more plays, being intent on his translation of Virgil. He read to us…

Lord Macclesfield, Lord Warrington, and Lord Westmorland, all died within about one week. Several persons shot, hanged, and made away with themselves.

Now was the great trial of the appeal of Lord Bath and Lord Montagu before the Lords, for the estate of the late Duke of Albemarle.

Mr. Stringfellow preached at Trinity parish, being restored to that place, after the contest between the Queen and the Bishop of London who had displaced him.

Came the dismal news of the disaster befallen our Turkey fleet by tempest, to the almost utter ruin of that trade, the convoy of three or four men-of-war, and…

Mr. Goode, minister of St. Martin's, preached; he was likewise put in by the Queen, on the issue of her process with the Bishop of London.

I went to the Duke of Norfolk, to desire him to make cousin Evelyn of Nutfield one of the Deputy-Lieutenants of Surrey, and entreat him to dismiss my brother, now…

Dr. Sharp, Archbishop of York, preached in the afternoon at the Tabernacle, by Soho.

Mr. Bentley, our Boyle Lecturer, Chaplain to the Bishop of Worcester, came to see me.

One Mr. Stanhope preached a most excellent sermon.

A fiery exhalation rising out of the sea, spread itself in Montgomeryshire a furlong broad, and many miles in length, burning all straw, hay, thatch, and grass, but…

I went to visit Mr. Waller, an extraordinary young gentleman of great accomplishments, skilled in mathematics, anatomy, music, painting both in oil and miniature to…

I went this day with my wife and four servants from Sayes Court, removing much furniture of all sorts, books, pictures, hangings, bedding, etc., to furnish the…

This being the first Sunday in the month, the blessed sacrament of the Lord's Supper ought to have been celebrated at Wotton church, but in this parish it is…

This week we had news of my Lord Tiviot having cut his own throat, through what discontent not yet said. He had been, not many years past, my colleague in the…

Mr. Edwards, minister of Denton, in Sussex, a living in my brother's gift, came to see him. He had suffered much by a fire. Seasonable showers.

The public fast. Mr. Wotton, that extraordinary learned young man, preached excellently.

Mr. Duncomb, minister of Albury, preached at Wotton, a very religious and exact discourse. The first great bank for a fund of money being now established by Act of…

Lord Berkeley burnt Dieppe and Havre de Grace with bombs, in revenge for the defeat at Brest. This manner of destructive war was begun by the French, is exceedingly…

I went to visit my cousin, George Evelyn of Nutfield, where I found a family of ten children, five sons and five daughters—all beautiful women grown, and extremely…

Stormy and unseasonable wet weather this week.

I went to St. Paul's to see the choir, now finished as to the stone work, and the scaffold struck both without and within, in that part. Some exceptions might…

Mr. Stringfellow preached at Trinity church.

Visited the Bishop of Lincoln newly come on the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury, who a few days before had a paralytic stroke,—the same day and month that…

I visited the Marquis of Normanby, and had much discourse concerning King Charles II. being poisoned. Also concerning the quinquina which the physicians would not…

I had news that my dear and worthy friend, Dr. Tenison, Bishop of Lincoln, was made Archbishop of Canterbury, for which I thank God and rejoice, he being most…

I went to London to congratulate him. He being my proxy, gave my vote for Dr. Williams, to succeed Mr. Bentley in Mr. Boyle's lectures.

The smallpox increased exceedingly, and was very mortal. The Queen died of it on the 28th.