John Evelyn’s diary, 1696

Great confusion and distraction by reason of the clipped money, and the difficulty found in reforming it.

An extraordinary wet season, though temperate as to cold. The "Royal Sovereign" man-of-war burned at Chatham. It was built in 1637, and having given occasion to the…

They now began to coin new money.

There was now a conspiracy of about thirty knights, gentlemen, captains, many of them Irish and English Papists, and Nonjurors or Jacobites (so called), to murder…

The wind continuing N. and E. all this week, brought so many of our men-of-war together that, though most of the French finding their design detected and prevented,…

Divers of the conspirators tried and condemned. Vesuvius breaking out, terrified Naples. Three of the unhappy wretches, whereof one was a priest, were executed for…

I visited Mr. Graham in the Fleet.

The quarters of Sir William Perkins and Sir John Friend, lately executed on the plot, with Perkins's head, were set up at Temple Bar, a dismal sight, which many…

A very fine spring season.

Great offense taken at the three ministers who absolved Sir William Perkins and Friend at Tyburn. One of them (Snatt) was a son of my old schoolmaster. This…

We had a meeting at Guildhall of the grand committee about settling the draught of Greenwich hospital.

I went to Eton, and dined with Dr. Godolphin, the provost. The schoolmaster assured me there had not been for twenty years a more pregnant youth in that place than…

Dr. Sharp preached at the Temple. His prayer before the sermon was one of the most excellent compositions I ever heard.

The Venetian Ambassador made a stately entry with fifty footmen, many on horseback, four rich coaches, and a numerous train of gallants. More executions this week…

I dined at Lambeth, being summoned to meet my co-trustees, the Archbishop, Sir Henry Ashurst, and Mr. Serjeant Rotheram, to consult about settling Mr. Boyle's…

I went to Lambeth, to meet at dinner the Countess of Sunderland and divers ladies. We dined in the Archbishop's wife's apartment with his Grace, and stayed late;…

I went to London to meet my son, newly come from Ireland, indisposed. Money still continuing exceedingly scarce, so that none was paid or received, but all was on…

We settled divers offices, and other matters relating to workmen, for the beginning of Greenwich hospital.

I went to Deptford to dispose of our goods, in order to letting the house for three years to Vice Admiral Benbow, with condition to keep up the garden. This was…

A committee met at Whitehall about Greenwich Hospital, at Sir Christopher Wren's, his Majesty's Surveyor-General. We made the first agreement with divers workmen…

Dined at Lord Pembroke's, Lord Privy Seal, a very worthy gentleman. He showed me divers rare pictures of very many of the old and best masters, especially one of M.…

The famous trial between my Lord Bath and Lord Montague for an estate of £11,000 a year, left by the Duke of Albemarle, wherein on several trials had been…

I made my Lord Cheney a visit at Chelsea, and saw those ingenious waterworks invented by Mr. Winstanley, wherein were some things very surprising and extraordinary.

An exceedingly rainy, cold, unseasonable summer, yet the city was very healthy.

A trial in the Common Pleas between the Lady Purbeck Temple and Mr. Temple, a nephew of Sir Purbeck, concerning a deed set up to take place of several wills. This…

I went with a select committee of the Commissioners for Greenwich Hospital, and with Sir Christopher Wren, where with him I laid the first stone of the intended…

Note that my Lord Godolphin was the first of the subscribers who paid any money to this noble fabric.

A northern wind altering the weather with a continual and impetuous rain of three days and nights changed it into perfect winter.

Very unseasonable and uncertain weather.

So little money in the nation that Exchequer Tallies, of which I had for £2,000 on the best fund in England, the Post Office, nobody would take at 30 per cent…

The Bank lending the £200,000 to pay the array in Flanders, that had done nothing against the enemy, had so exhausted the treasure of the nation, that one could not…

Fine seasonable weather, and a great harvest after a cold, wet summer. Scarcity in Scotland.

I went to congratulate the marriage of a daughter of Mr. Boscawen to the son of Sir Philip Meadows; she is niece to my Lord Godolphin, married at Lambeth by the…

Unseasonable stormy weather, and an ill seedtime.

Lord Godolphin retired from the Treasury, who was the first Commissioner and most skillful manager of all.

The first frost began fiercely, but lasted not long. More plots talked of. Search for Jacobites so called.

Very stormy weather, rain, and inundations.

Continuance of extreme frost and snow.