12th June. Our Vicar preached on 2 Peter ii. 21, upon the danger of relapsing into sin. After this, I went and heard M. Lamot, an eloquent French preacher at Greenwich, on Prov. xxx. 8, 9, a consolatory discourse to the poor and religious refugees who escaped out of France in the cruel persecution. 16th. I went to Hampton Court to give his Majesty thanks for his late gracious favour, though it was but granting what was due. Whilst I was in the Council-Chamber, came in some persons, at the head of whom was a formal man with a large roll of parchment in his hand, being an Address (as he said, for he introduced it with a speech) of the people of Coventry, giving his Majesty their great acknowledgments for his granting a liberty of conscience; he added that this was not the application of one party only, but the unanimous address of Church of England men, Presbyterians, Independents, and Anabaptists, to show how extensive his Majesty's grace was, as taking in all parties to his indulgence and protection, which had removed all dissensions and animosities, which would not only unite them in bonds of Christian charity, but exceedingly encourage their future industry, to the improvement of trade, and spreading his Majesty's glory throughout the world; and that now he had given to God his empire, God would establish his; with expressions of great loyalty and submission; and so he gave the roll to the King, which being returned to him again, his Majesty caused him to read. The address was short, but much to the substance of the speech of their foreman, to whom the King, pulling off his hat, said that what he had done in giving liberty of conscience, was, what was ever his judgment ought to be done; and that, as he would preserve them in their enjoyment of it during his reign, so he would endeavour to settle it by law, that it should never be altered by his

successors.

kiss.

1000.

After this, he gave them his hand to

It was reported the subscribers were above

But this is not so remarkable as an Address of the week before (as I was assured by one present), of some of the Family of Love. His Majesty asked them what this worship consisted in, and how many their party might consist of; they told him their custom was to read the Scripture, and then to preach; but did not give any further account, only said that for the rest they were a sort of refined Quakers, but their number very small, not consisting, as they said, of above threescore in all, and those chiefly belonging to the Isle of Ely.2

3

18th June. I dined at Mr. Blathwayt's (two miles from Hampton). This gentleman is Secretary of War, Clerk of the Council, etc., having raised himself by his industry from very moderate circumstances. He is a very proper, handsome person, very dexterous in business, and, besides all this, has married a great fortune. His income by the Army, Council, and Secretary to the Committee of Foreign Plantations, brings him in above £2000 per annum.

4

23rd. The Privy Seal for £6000 was passed to me, so that this tedious affair was dispatched.Hitherto, a very windy and tempestuous summer. -The French sermons to the refugees were continued at Greenwich Church.

1 [The Family of Love, or Familia Caritatis, were an offshoot of the Dutch Anabaptists. Their founder was a Westphalian named Henrick Niclaes (fl. 1502-80). They interpreted Scripture mystically, denying the Resurrection, Christ's person, etc., and preaching the love of humanity. By the beginning of the eighteenth century they had become extremely rare.]

2 [Cambridgeshire Fens, now drained.]

3 William Blathwayt, 1649-1717; Secretary at War, 16831704.

[See ante, p. 221.]

19th July. I went to Wotton. In the way, I dined at Ashtead, with my Lady Mordaunt.1

8

5th August. I went to see Albury, now purchased by Mr. Finch (the King's Solicitor, and son to the late Lord Chancellor); I found the garden which I first designed for the Duke of Norfolk, nothing improved.

15th. I went to visit Lord Clarendon at Swallowfield, where was my Lord Cornbury just arrived from Denmark, whither he had accompanied the Prince of Denmark two months before, and now come back. The miserable tyranny under which that nation lives, he related to us; the King keeps them under an army of 40,000 men, all Germans, he not daring to trust his own subjects. Notwithstanding this, the Danes are exceeding proud, the country very poor and miserable.

22nd. Returned home to Sayes Court from Wotton, having been five weeks absent with my brother and friends, who entertained us very nobly. God be praised for His goodness, and this refreshment after my many troubles, and let His mercy and providence ever preserve me. Amen.

3rd September. The Lord Mayor sent me an Officer with a staff, to be one of the Governors of St. Thomas's Hospital.

Persecution raging in France; divers churches there fired by lightning, priests struck, consecrated hosts, etc., burnt and destroyed, both at St. Malo and Paris, at the grand procession on Corpus Christi day.

13th. I went to Lambeth, and dined with the Archbishop. After dinner, I retired into the library, which I found exceedingly improved; there are also divers rare manuscripts in a room apart.

1 [See ante, vol. ii. p. 388.] 3 See ante, p. 199.]

VOL. III

2 [See ante, vol. ii. p. 281.] 4 See ante, p. 188.]

Q

6th October. I was godfather to Sir John Chardin's son, christened at Greenwich Church, named John. The Earl of Bath and Countess of Carlisle, the other sponsors.

29th. An Anabaptist, a very odd ignorant person, a mechanic, I think, was Lord Mayor." The King and Queen, and D'Adda,3 the Pope's Nuncio, invited to a feast at Guildhall. A strange turn of affairs, that those who scandalised the Church of England as favourers of Popery, should publicly invite an emissary from Rome, one who represented the very person of their Antichrist!

10th December. My son was returned out of Devon, where he had been on a commission from the Lords of the Treasury about a concealment of land.

20th. I went with my Lord Chief-Justice Herbert, to see his house at Walton-on-Thames : * it is a barren place. To a very ordinary house he had built a very handsome library, designing more building to it than the place deserves, in my opinion. He desired my advice about laying out his gardens, etc. The next day, we went to Weybridge, to see some pictures of the Duchess of Norfolk's," particularly the statue, or child in gremio, said to be of Michael Angelo; but there are reasons to think it rather a copy, from some proportion in the figures ill taken. It was now exposed to sale.

1 [See ante, p. 52.]

2 Sir John Peake.

3 Count D' Adda. See ante, p. 195. 4 This is a mistake; the house was Oatlands in Weybridge, rebuilt after fire in 1794. Sir Edward Herbert (see ante, p. 207) followed the fortunes of King James, who gave him his Great Seal. He was attainted; and Oatlands given to his brother, Admiral Herbert (see post, p. 265). Sir Edward published an apology for the judgment he had given in favour of the King's dispensing powers, which was answered by Mr. William Atwood and Sir Robert Atkins. (Manning and Bray's Surrey, ii. 786.) 5 [See ante, p. 16.]

1687-8: 12th January. Mr. Slingsby, Master of the Mint, being under very deplorable circumstances on account of his creditors, and especially the King, I did my endeavour with the Lords of the Treasury to be favourable to him.

My Lord Arran,' eldest son to the Duke of Hamilton, being now married to Lady Ann Spencer, eldest daughter of the Earl of Sunderland, Lord President of the Council, I and my family had most glorious favours sent us, the wedding being celebrated with extraordinary splendour.

15th. There was a solemn and particular office used at our, and all the churches of London and ten miles round, for a thanksgiving to God, for her Majesty being with child.

22nd. This afternoon I went not to church, being employed on a religious treatise I had undertaken.2

Post annum 1588-1660-1688, Annus Mirabilis Tertius.s

30th. Being the Martyrdom-day of King Charles the First, our curate made a florid oration against the murder of that excellent Prince, with an exhortation to obedience from the example of David, 1 Samuel xxvi. 6.

12th February. My daughter Evelyn going in the coach to visit in the City, a jolt (the door being not fast shut) flung her quite out in such manner, as the hind wheels passed over her a little above her knees. Yet it pleased God, besides the bruises

1 [See ante, p. 88.]

2 What this was does not appear; but there are several of Evelyn's compositions remaining in MS. [It may have been the posthumous History of Religion: A Rational Account of the True Religion, 2 vols., edited with notes, by the Rev. R. M. Evanson, in 1850.]

3 This seems to have been added after the page was written. 4 [Martha Evelyn, wife of Evelyn's son, John (see ante, p. 43).]