John Evelyn’s diary, 1653

I set apart in preparation for the Blessed Sacrament, which the next day Mr. Owen administered to me and all my family in Sayes Court, preaching on John vi. 32, 33,…

I began to set out the oval garden at Sayes Court, which was before a rude orchard, and all the rest one entire field of 100 acres, without any hedge, except the…

I went to London, and sealed some of the writings of my purchase of Sayes Court.

At our own parish church, a stranger preached. There was now and then an honest orthodox man got into the pulpit, and, though the present incumbent was somewhat of…

Old Alexander Rosse (author of "Virgilius Evangelizans," and many other little books) presented me with his book against Mr. Hobbes's "Leviathan."

I planted the orchard at Sayes Court; new moon, wind west.

Was perfected the sealing, livery, and seisin of my purchase of Sayes Court. My brother, George Glanville, Mr. Scudamore, Mr. Offley, Co. William Glanville (son to…

Came to see me that rare graver in taille-douce, Monsieur Richett, he was sent by Cardinal Mazarine to make a collection of pictures.

I went to take the air in Hyde Park, where every coach was made to pay a shilling, and horse sixpence, by the sordid fellow who had purchased it of the state, as…

My servant Hoare, who wrote those exquisite several hands, fell of a fit of an apoplexy, caused, as I suppose, by tampering with mercury about an experiment in gold.

I went to London, to take my last leave of my honest friend, Mr. Barton, now dying; it was a great loss to me and to my affairs. On the sixth of June, I attended…

Came my brother George, Captain Evelyn, the great traveler, Mr. Muschamp, my cousin, Thomas Keightly, and a virtuoso, fastastical Simons, who had the talent of…

I went to visit my worthy neighbor, Sir Henry Newton , and consider the prospect, which is doubtless for city, river, ships, meadows, hill, woods, and all other…

This day, I paid all my debts to a farthing; oh, blessed day!

My Lady Gerrard, and one Esquire Knight, a very rich gentleman, living in Northamptonshire, visited me.

Mr. Lombart, a famous graver, came to see my collections.

Monsieur Roupel sent me a small phial of his aurum potabile, with a letter, showing the way of administering it, and the stupendous cures it had done at Paris; but,…

I went to visit Mr. Hyldiard, at his house at Horsley (formerly the great Sir Walter Raleigh's), where met me Mr. Oughtred, the famous mathematician; he showed me a…

I heard that good old man, Mr. Higham, the parson of the parish of Wotton where I was born, and who had baptized me, preach after his very plain way on Luke,…

We all went to Guildford, to rejoice at the famous inn, the Red Lion, and to see the hospital, and the monument of Archbishop Abbot, the founder, who lies buried in…

At Greenwich preached that holy martyr, Dr. Hewer, on Psalm xc. 11, magnifying the grace of God to penitents, and threatening the extinction of his Gospel light for…

My son, John Stansfield, was born, being my second child, and christened by the name of my mother's father, that name now quite extinct, being of Cheshire.…

Mr. Owen preached in my library at Sayes Court on Luke xviii. 7, 8, an excellent discourse on the unjust judge, showing why Almighty God would sometimes be compared…

Went to London, to visit my Lady Gerrard, where I saw that cursed woman called the Lady Norton, of whom it was reported that she spit in our King's face as he went…

I went to London, to speak with Sir John Evelyn, my kinsman, about the purchase of an estate of Mr. Lambard's at Westeram, which afterward Sir John himself bought…

Going this day to our church, I was surprised to see a tradesman, a mechanic, step up; I was resolved yet to stay and see what he would make of it. His text was…

Christmas day. No churches, or public assembly. I was fain to pass the devotions of that Blessed day with my family at home.