John Evelyn’s diary, 1657

Having prayed with my family, and celebrated the anniversary, I spent some time in imploring God's blessing the year I was entered into.

Came Mr. Matthew Wren (since secretary to the Duke), slain in the Dutch war, eldest son to the Bishop of Ely, now a prisoner in the Tower; a most worthy and honored…

Came Dr. Joyliffe, that famous physician and anatomist, first detector of the lymphatic veins; also the old Marquis of Argyle, and another Scotch Earl.

Dined at the Holland Ambassador's; he told me the East India Company of Holland had constantly a stock of £400,000 in India, and forty-eight men-of-war there: he…

I went to visit the governor of Havannah, a brave, sober, valiant Spanish gentleman, taken by Captain Young, of Deptford, when, after twenty years being in the…

To London, where I found Mrs. Cary; next day came Mr. Mordaunt (since Viscount Mordaunt), younger son to the Countess of Peterborough, to see his mistress, bringing…

Dr. Rand, a learned physician, dedicated to me his version of Gassendi's "Vita Peiriskii."

Dr. Taylor showed me his MS. of "Cases of Conscience," or "Ductor Dubitantium," now fitted for the press. The Protector Oliver, now affecting kingship, is…

Came Sir Thomas Hanmer, of Hanmer, in Wales, to see me. I then waited on my Lord Hatton, with whom I dined: at my return, I stepped into Bedlam, where I saw several…

I had a dangerous fall out of the coach in Covent Garden, going to my brother's, but without harm; the Lord be praised!

Divers soldiers were quartered at my house; but I thank God went away the next day toward Flanders.

I went with my cousin, George Tuke, to see Baynard, in Surrey, a house of my brother Richard's, which he would have hired. This is a very fair, noble residence,…

Lawrence, President of Oliver's Council, and some other of his Court-Lords, came in the afternoon to see my garden and plantations.

My fourth son was born, christened George (after my grandfather); Dr. Jeremy Taylor officiated in the drawing-room.

At Greenwich I saw a sort of cat brought from the East Indies, shaped and snouted much like the Egyptian racoon, in the body like a monkey, and so footed; the ears…

On Dr. Jeremy Taylor's recommendation, I went to Eltham, to help one Moody, a young man, to that living, by my interest with the patron.

I went to see Colonel Blount, who showed me the application of the waywiser to a coach, exactly measuring the miles, and showing them by an index as we went on. It…

Our vicar, from John xviii. 36, declaimed against the folly of a sort of enthusiasts and desperate zealots, called the Fifth-Monarchy-Men, pretending to set up the…

Fell a most prodigious rain in London, and the year was very sickly in the country.

I visited Sir Edmund Bowyer, at his melancholy seat at Camberwell. He has a very pretty grove of oaks, and hedges of yew in his garden, and a handsome row of tall…

Going to London with some company, we stepped in to see a famous rope-dancer, called THE TURK. I saw even to astonishment the agility with which he performed. He…

To see Sir Robert Needham, at Lambeth, a relation of mine; and thence to John Tradescant's museum, in which the chiefest rarities were, in my opinion, the ancient…

I went to see divers gardens about London: returning, I saw at Dr. Joyliffe's two Virginian rattlesnakes alive, exceeding a yard in length, small heads, slender…

To town, to visit the Holland Ambassador, with whom I had now contracted much friendly correspondence, useful to the intelligence I constantly gave his Majesty…

I went to London, to a court of the East India Company on its new union, in Merchant-Taylors' Hall, where was much disorder by reason of the Anabaptists, who would…

I took the oath at the East India House, subscribing £500.

Dr. Raynolds (since Bishop of Norwich) preached before the company at St. Andrew Under-shaft, on Nehemiah xiii. 31, showing, by the example of Nehemiah, all the…

Mr. Gunning preached on John iii. 3, against the Anabaptists, showing the effect and necessity of the sacrament of baptism. This sect was now wonderfully spread.

I went to London with my wife, to celebrate Christmas-day, Mr. Gunning preaching in Exeter chapel, on Micah vii. 2. Sermon ended, as he was giving us the Holy…