02 Jan 1664. To Barn Elms, to see Abraham Cowley (age 46) after his sickness; and returned that evening to London.

04 Feb 1664. Dined at Sir Philip Warwick's (age 54); thence, to Court, where I had discourse with the King (age 33) about an invention of glass-grenades, and several other subjects.

05 Feb 1664. I saw "The Indian Queen" acted, a tragedy well written, so beautiful with rich scenes as the like had never been seen here, or haply (except rarely) elsewhere on a mercenary theater.

16 Feb 1664. I presented my "Sylva" to the Society; and next day to his Majesty (age 33), to whom it was dedicated; also to the Lord Treasurer (age 56) and the Lord Chancellor (age 54).

24 Feb 1664. My Lord George Berkeley (age 36), of Durdans, and Sir Samuel Tuke (age 49) came to visit me. We went on board Sir William Petty's (age 40) double-bottomed vessel, and so to London.

26 Feb 1664. Dined with my Lord Chancellor (age 55); and thence to Court, where I had great thanks for my "Sylva", and long discourse with the King (age 33) of divers particulars.

02 Mar 1664. Went to London to distribute some of my books among friends.

04 Mar 1664. Came to dine with me the Earl of Lauderdale (age 47), his Majesty's (age 33) great favorite, and Secretary of Scotland; the Earl of Teviot (age 38); my Lord Viscount Brouncker (age 53), President of the Royal Society; Dr. Wilkins (age 50), Dean of Ripon; Sir Robert Murray (age 56), and Mr. Hooke (age 28), Curator to the Society.

04 Mar 1664. This spring I planted the Home field and West field about Sayes Court [Map] with elms, being the same year that the elms were planted by his Majesty (age 33) in Greenwich Park [Map].

09 Mar 1664. I went to the Tower [Map], to sit in commission about regulating the Mint; and now it was that the fine new-milled coin, both of white money and guineas, was established.

26 Mar 1664. It pleased God to take away my son, Richard, now a month old, yet without any sickness of danger perceivably, being to all appearance a most likely child; we suspected much the nurse had overlain him; to our extreme sorrow, being now again reduced to one: but God's will be done.

29 Mar 1664. After evening prayers, was my child buried near the rest of his brothers-my very dear children.

27 Apr 1664. Saw a facetious comedy, called "Love in a Tub"; and supped at Mr. Secretary Bennett's (age 46).

03 May 1664. Came the Earl of Kent (age 19), my kinsman, and his Lady (age 20), to visit us.

05 May 1664. Went with some company a journey of pleasure on the water, in a barge, with music, and at Mortlake had a great banquet, returning late. The occasion was, Sir Robert Carr (age 27) now courting Mrs. Bennett, sister to the Secretary of State (age 46).

06 May 1664. Went to see Mr. Wright (age 47) the painter's collection of rare shells, etc.

08 Jun 1664. To our Society, to which his Majesty (age 34) had sent that wonderful horn of the fish which struck a dangerous hole in the keel of a ship in the India sea, which, being broken off with the violence of the fish, and left in the timber, preserved it from foundering.

09 Jun 1664. Sir Samuel Tuke (age 49) being this morning married to a lady, kinswoman to my Lord Arundel of Wardour (age 56), by the Queen's Lord Almoner, L. Aubigny (age 44) in St. James's chapel, solemnized his wedding night at my house with much company.

22 Jun 1664. One Tomson, a Jesuit, showed me such a collection of rarities, sent from the Jesuits of Japan and China to their Order at Paris, as a present to be reserved in their repository, but brought to London by the East India ships for them, as in my life I had not seen. The chief things were, rhinoceros's horns; glorious vests, wrought and embroidered on cloth of gold, but with such lively colors, that for splendor and vividness we have nothing in Europe that approaches it; a girdle studded with agates and rubies of great value and size; knives, of so keen an edge as one could not touch them, nor was the metal of our color, but more pale and livid; fans, like those our ladies use, but much larger, and with long handles curiously carved and filled with Chinese characters; a sort of paper very broad, thin, and fine, like abortive parchment, and exquisitely polished, of an amber yellow, exceedingly glorious and pretty to look on, and seeming to be like that which my Lord Verulam describes in his "Nova Atlantis"; several other sorts of paper, some written, others printed; prints of landscapes, their idols, saints, pagods, of most ugly serpentine monstrous and hideous shapes, to which they paid devotion; pictures of men and countries, rarely painted on a sort of gummed calico, transparent as glass; flowers, trees, beasts, birds, etc., excellently wrought in a kind of sleeve silk, very natural; divers drugs that our druggists and physicians could make nothing of, especially one which the Jesuit called Lac Tigridis: it looked like a fungus, but was weighty like metal, yet was a concretion, or coagulation, of some other matter; several book MSS.; a grammar of the language written in Spanish; with innumerable other rarities.

01 Jul 1664. Went to see Mr. Povey's (age 50) elegant house in Lincoln's Inn Fields, where the perspective in his court, painted by Streeter (age 43), is indeed excellent, with the vases in imitation of porphyry, and fountains; the inlaying of his closet; above all, his pretty cellar and ranging of his wine bottles.

07 Jul 1664. To Court, where I subscribed to Sir Arthur Slingsby's (age 41) lottery, a desperate debt owing me long since in Paris.

14 Jul 1664. I went to take leave of the two Mr. Howards, now going to Paris, and brought them as far as Bromley, Kent; thence to Eltham, Greenwich, to see Sir John Shaw's (age 49) new house, now building; the place is pleasant, if not too wet, but the house not well contrived; especially the roof and rooms too low pitched, and the kitchen where the cellars should be; the orangery and aviary handsome, and a very large plantation about it.

19 Jul 1664. To London, to see the event of the lottery which his Majesty (age 34) had permitted Sir Arthur Slingsby (age 41) to set up for one day in the Banqueting House, Whitehall Palace [Map], at Whitehall; I gaining only a trifle, as well as did the King (age 34), Queen-Consort (age 25), and Queen-Mother (age 54), for near thirty lots; which was thought to be contrived very unhandsomely by the master of it, who was, in truth, a mere shark.

21 Jul 1664. I dined with my Lord Treasurer (age 57) at Southampton House, where his Lordship used me with singular humanity. I went in the afternoon to Chelsea, to wait on the Duke of Ormond (age 53), and returned to London.

28 Jul 1664. Came to see me Monsieur Zuylichen (age 67), Secretary to the Prince of Orange, an excellent Latin poet, a rare lutinist, with Monsieur Oudart.

03 Aug 1664. To London; a concert of excellent musicians, especially one Mr. Berkenshaw, that rare artist, who invented a mathematical way of composure very extraordinary, true as to the exact rules of art, but without much harmony.

08 Aug 1664. Came the sad and unexpected news of the death of Lady Cotton, wife to my brother George (age 47), a most excellent lady.

09 Aug 1664. Went with my brother Richard (age 41) to Wotton, Surrey [Map], to visit and comfort my disconsolate brother (age 47); and on the 13th saw my friend, Mr. Charles Howard, at Dipden, near Dorking.

16 Aug 1664. I went to see Sir William Ducie's house at Charlton; which he purchased of my excellent friend, Sir Henry Newton (age 46), now nobly furnished.

22 Aug 1664. I went from London to Wotton, Surrey [Map], to assist at the funeral of my sister-in-law, the Lady Cotton, buried in our dormitory there, she being put up in lead. Dr. Owen made a profitable and pathetic discourse, concluding with an eulogy of that virtuous, pious, and deserving lady. It was a very solemn funeral, with about fifty mourners. I came back next day with my wife (age 29) to London.

02 Sep 1664. Came Constantine Huygens, Signor de Zuylichen (age 67), Sir Robert Morris, Mr. Oudart, Mr. Carew, and other friends, to spend the day with us.

05 Oct 1664. To our Society. There was brought a newly-invented instrument of music, being a harpsichord with gut-strings, sounding like a concert of viols with an organ, made vocal by a wheel, and a zone of parchment that rubbed horizontally against the strings.

06 Oct 1664. I heard the anniversary oration in praise of Dr. Harvey, in the Anatomy Theatre in the Royal College of Physicians; after which I was invited by Dr. Alston, the President, to a magnificent feast.

07 Oct 1664. I dined at Sir Nicholas Strood's, one of the Masters of Chancery, in Great St. Bartholomew's; passing the evening at Whitehall [Map], with the Queen (age 25), etc.

08 Oct 1664. Sir William Curtius, his Majesty's (age 34) Resident in Germany, came to visit me; he was a wise and learned gentleman, and, as he told me, scholar to Henry Alstedius, the Encyclopedist.

15 Oct 1664. Dined at the Lord Chancellor's (age 55), where was the Duke of Ormond (age 53), Earl of Cork, and Bishop of Winchester (age 66). After dinner, my Lord Chancellor (age 55) and his lady (age 47) carried me in their coach to see their palace (for he now lived at Worcester-House in the Strand), building at the upper end of St. James's street, and to project the garden. In the evening, I presented him with my book on Architecture, as before I had done to his Majesty (age 34) and the Queen-Mother (age 54). His lordship caused me to stay with him in his bedchamber, discoursing of several matters very late, even till he was going into his bed.

17 Oct 1664. I went with my Lord Viscount Cornbury, to Cornbury, in Oxfordshire, to assist him in the planting of the park, and bear him company, with Mr. Belin and Mr. May (age 43), in a coach with six horses; dined at Uxbridge, lay at Wycombe.

18 Oct 1664. At Oxford. Went through Woodstock, Oxfordshire [Map], where we beheld the destruction of that royal seat and park by the late rebels, and arrived that evening at Cornbury, a house lately built by the Earl of Denbigh [Note. Mistake by Evelyn; should be Earl of Danby], in the middle of a sweet park, walled with a dry wall. The house is of excellent freestone, abounding in that part, (a stone that is fine, but never sweats, or casts any damp); it is of ample dimensions, has goodly cellars, the paving of the hall admirable for its close laying. We designed a handsome chapel that was yet wanting: as Mr. May (age 43) had the stables, which indeed are very fair, having set out the walks in the parks and gardens. The lodge is a pretty solitude, and the ponds very convenient; the park well stored.

20 Oct 1664. Hence, to see the famous wells, natural and artificial grots and fountains, called Bushell's Wells, at Enstone. This Bushell had been Secretary to my Lord Verulam. It is an extraordinary solitude. There he had two mummies; a grot where he lay in a hammock, like an Indian. Hence, we went to Dichley [Map], an ancient seat of the Lees, now Sir Henry Lee's (age 25); it is a low ancient timber-house, with a pretty bowling-green. My Lady gave us an extraordinary dinner. This gentleman's mother (age 49) was Countess of Rochester, who was also there, and Sir Walter St. John (age 42). There were some pictures of their ancestors, not ill painted; the great-grandfather had been Knight of the Garter [Note. Reference to Henry Lee of Ditchley who was not great-grandfather; he was second-cousin once-removed]; there was a picture of a Pope, and our Savior's head. So we returned to Cornbury.

24 Oct 1664. Thence, to New College, and the painting of Magdalen chapel, which is on blue cloth in chiar oscuro, by one Greenborow, being a Cœna Domini, and a "Last Judgment" on the wall by Fuller, as in the other, but somewhat varied.

24 Oct 1664. Next to Wadham, and the Physic Garden, where were two large locust trees, and as many platani (plane trees), and some rare plants under the culture of old Bobart.

26 Oct 1664. We came back to Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire; next day to London, where we dined at the Lord Chancellor's (age 55), with my Lord Bellasis (age 50).

27 Oct 1664. Being casually in the privy gallery at Whitehall [Map], his Majesty (age 34) gave me thanks before divers lords and noblemen for my book of "Architecture", and again for my "Sylva" saying they were the best designed and useful for the matter and subject, the best printed and designed (meaning the taille-douces of the "Parallel of Architecture) that he had seen. He then caused me to follow him alone to one of the windows, and asked me if I had any paper about me unwritten, and a crayon; I presented him with both, and then laying it on the window-stool, he with his own hands designed to me the plot for the future building of Whitehall [Map], together with the rooms of state, and other particulars. After this, he talked with me of several matters, asking my advice, in which I find his Majesty (age 34) had an extraordinary talent becoming a magnificent prince.

27 Oct 1664. The same day at Council, there being Commissioners to be made to take care of such sick and wounded and prisoners of war, as might be expected upon occasion of a succeeding war and action at sea, war being already declared against the Hollanders, his Majesty (age 34) was pleased to nominate me to be one, with three other gentlemen, Parliament men, viz, Sir William Doily, Knt. and Bart., Sir Thomas Clifford, and Bullein Rheymes, Esq; with a salary of £1,200 a year among us, besides extraordinaries for our care and attention in time of station, each of us being appointed to a particular district, mine falling out to be Kent and Sussex, with power to constitute officers, physicians, chirurgeons, provost-marshals, and to dispose of half of the hospitals through England. After the Council, we kissed his Majesty's (age 34) hand. At this Council I heard Mr. Solicitor Finch plead most elegantly for the merchants trading to the Canaries, praying for a new Charter.

29 Oct 1664. Was the most magnificent triumph by water and land of the Lord Mayor. I dined at Guildhall [Map] at the upper table, placed next to Sir H. Bennett (age 46), Secretary of State, opposite to my Lord Chancellor (age 55) and the Duke of Buckingham (age 36), who sat between Monsieur Comminges, the French Ambassador, Lord Treasurer (age 57), the Dukes of Ormond (age 54) and Albemarle (age 55), Earl of Manchester (age 62), Lord Chamberlain, and the rest of the great officers of state. My Lord Mayor came twice up to us, first drinking in the golden goblet his Majesty's (age 34) health, then the French King's as a compliment to the Ambassador; we returned my Lord Mayor's health, the trumpets and drums sounding. The cheer was not to be imagined for the plenty and rarity, with an infinite number of persons at the tables in that ample hall. The feast was said to cost £1,000. I slipped away in the crowd, and came home late.

31 Oct 1664. I was this day 44 years of age; for which I returned thanks to Almighty God, begging his merciful protection for the year to come.

02 Nov 1664. Her Majesty, the Queen-Mother (age 54), came across the gallery in Whitehall [Map] to give me thanks for my book of "Architecture", which I had presented to her, with a compliment that I did by no means deserve.

16 Nov 1664. We chose our treasurer, clerks, and messengers, and appointed our seal, which I ordered should be the good Samaritan, with this motto, "Fac similiter". Painters' Hall, Queenhithe was lent us to meet in. In the great room were divers pictures, some reasonably good, that had been given to the Company by several of the wardens and masters of the Company.

23 Nov 1664. Our statutes now finished, were read before a full assembly of the Royal Society.

24 Nov 1664. His Majesty (age 34) was pleased to tell me what the conference was with the Holland Ambassador, which, as after I found, was the heads of the speech he made at the reconvention of the Parliament, which now began.

02 Dec 1664. We delivered the Privy Council's letters to the Governors of St Thomas's Hospital, in Southwark, that a moiety of the house should be reserved for such sick and wounded as should from time to time be sent from the fleet during the war. This being delivered at their Court, the President and several Aldermen, Governors of that Hospital, invited us to a great feast in Fishmongers' Hall.

20 Dec 1664. To London, our last sitting, taking order for our personal visiting our several districts. I dined at Captain Cocke's (our treasurer), with that most ingenious gentleman, Matthew Wren (age 35), son to the Bishop of Ely (age 79), and Mr. Joseph Williamson, since Secretary of State.

22 Dec 1664. I went to the launching of a new ship of two bottoms, invented by Sir William Petty (age 41), on which were various opinions; his Majesty (age 34) being present, gave her the name of the "Experiment": so I returned home, where I found Sir Humphry Winch (age 42), who spent the day with me.

28 Dec 1664. Some of my poor neighbors dined with me, and others of my tenants, according to my annual custom.

31 Dec 1664. Set my affairs in order, gave God praise for His mercies the past year, and prepared for the reception of the Holy Sacrament, which I partook of the next day, after hearing our minister on the 4th of Galatians, verses 4, 5, of the mystery of our Blessed Savior's Incarnation.