John Evelyn’s diary, 1687

Mr. Wake preached at St. Martin's on 1 Tim. iii. 16, concerning the mystery of godliness. He wrote excellently, in answer to the Bishop of Meaux.

A Seal to confirm a gift of £4,000 per annum for 99 years to the Lord Treasurer out of the Post Office, and £1,700 per annum for ever out of Lord Grey's estate.…

Much expectation of several great men declaring themselves Papists. Lord Tyrconnel gone to succeed the Lord-Lieutenant in Ireland, to the astonishment of all sober…

I saw the Queen's new apartment at Whitehall, with her new bed, the embroidery of which cost £3,000. The carving about the chimney piece, by Gibbons, is…

I heard the famous eunuch, Cifaccio, sing in the new Popish chapel this afternoon; it was indeed very rare, and with great skill. He came over from Rome, esteemed…

Mr. Chetwin preached at Whitehall on Rom. i. 18, a very quaint, neat discourse of Moral righteousness.

Came out a proclamation for universal liberty of conscience in Scotland, and depensation from all tests and laws to the contrary, as also capacitating Papists to be…

Dr. Meggott, Dean of Winchester, preached before the Princess of Denmark, on Matt. xiv. 23. In the afternoon, I went out of town to meet my Lord Clarendon,…

His Majesty sent for the Commissioners of the Privy Seal this morning into his bedchamber, and told us that though he had thought fit to dispose of the Seal into a…

I saw a trial of those devilish, murdering, mischief doing engines called bombs, shot out of the mortar piece on Blackheath. The distance that they are cast, the…

The Bishop of Bath and Wells (Dr. Ken) preached at St. Martin's to a crowd of people not to be expressed, nor the wonderful eloquence of this admirable preacher;…

Good Friday. Dr. Tenison preached at St. Martin's on 1 Peter ii. 24. During the service, a man came into near the middle of the church, with his sword drawn, with…

I had a rehearing of my great cause at the Chancery in Westminster Hall, having seven of the most learned Counsel, my adversary five, among which were the Attorney…

In the last week there was issued a Dispensation from all obligations and tests, by which Dissenters and Papists especially had public liberty of exercising their…

To London about my suit, some terms of accommodation being proposed.

I heard the famous singer, Cifaccio, esteemed the best in Europe. Indeed, his holding out and delicateness in extending and loosing a note with incomparable…

At Greenwich, at the conclusion of the Church service, there was a French sermon preached after the use of the English Liturgy translated into French, to a…

I dined with Mynheer Diskvelts, the Holland Ambassador, a prudent and worthy person. There dined Lord Middleton, principal Secretary of State, Lord Pembroke, Lord…

To London. Lord Sunderland being Lord President and Secretary of State, was made Knight of the Garter and Prime favorite. This day there was such a storm of wind as…

To London, about my agreement with Mr. Pretyman, after my tedious suit.

I went to London, it having pleased his Majesty to grant me a Privy Seal for £6,000, for discharge of the debt I had been so many years persecuted for, it being…

I visited my Lady Pierpoint, daughter to Sir John Evelyn, of Deane , now widow of Mr. Pierpoint, and mother of the Earl of Kingston. She was now engaged in the…

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…

I went to Hampton Court to give his Majesty thanks for his late gracious favor, though it was but granting what was due. While I was in the Council Chamber, came in…

I dined at Mr. Blathwaite's (two miles from Hampton). This gentleman is Secretary of War, Clerk of the Council, etc., having raised himself by his industry from…

The Privy Seal for £6,000 was passed to me, so that this tedious affair was dispatched. Hitherto, a very windy and tempestuous summer. The French sermons to the…

I went to Wotton. In the way, I dined at Ashted, with my Lady Mordaunt.

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…

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…

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,…

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…

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…

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.

An Anabaptist, a very odd ignorant person, a mechanic, I think, was Lord Mayor. The King and Queen, and Dadi, the Pope's Nuncio, invited to a feast at Guildhall. A…

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.

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…