John Evelyn's Diary 1637 1639 University

10th May 1637. I was admitted a Fellow-commoner of Baliol College, Oxford; and, on the 29th, I was matriculated in the vestry of St. Mary's, where I subscribed the Articles, and took the oaths: Dr. Baily, head of St. John's, being vice-chancellor, afterward bishop. It appears by a letter of my father's (age 50), that he was upon treaty with one Mr. Bathurst (age 17) (afterward Doctor and President), of Trinity College, who should have been my tutor; but, lest my brother's tutor, Dr. Hobbs, more zealous in his life than industrious to his pupils, should receive it as an affront, and especially for that Fellow-commoners in Baliol were no more exempt from exercise than the meanest scholars there, my father sent me thither to one Mr. George Bradshaw (nomen invisum! yet the son of an excellent father, beneficed in Surrey). I ever thought my tutor had parts enough; but as his ambition made him much suspected of the College, so his grudge to Dr. Lawrence, the governor of it (whom he afterward supplanted), took up so much of his time, that he seldom or never had the opportunity to discharge his duty to his scholars. This I perceiving, associated myself with one Mr. James Thicknesse (then a young man of the foundation, afterward a Fellow of the house), by whose learned and friendly conversation I received great advantage. At my first arrival, Dr. Parkhurst was master: and after his decease, Dr. Lawrence, a chaplain of his Majesty's and Margaret Professor, succeeded, an acute and learned person; nor do I much reproach his severity, considering that the extraordinary remissness of discipline had (till his coming) much detracted from the reputation of that College.

10th May 1637. There came in my time to the College one Nathaniel Conopios, out of Greece, from Cyrill, the patriarch of Constantinople, who, returning many years after, was made (as I understand) Bishop of Smyrna. He was the first I ever saw drink coffee; which custom came not into England till thirty years after.

10th May 1637. After I was somewhat settled there in my formalities (for then was the University exceedingly regular, under the exact discipline of William Laud, Archbishop of Canterbury, then Chancellor), I added, as benefactor to the library of the College, these books-"ex dono Johannis Evelyni, hujus Coll. Socio-Commensalis, filii Richardi Evelyni, è com. Surriæ, armigr".-.

"Zanchii Opera", vols. 1, 2, 3.

"Granado in Thomam Aquinatem", vols. 1, 2, 3.

"Novarini Electa Sacra" and "Cresolii Anthologia Sacra"; authors, it seems, much desired by the students of divinity there.

2nd July 1637. Upon the 2d of July, being the first Sunday of the month, I first received the blessed Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in the college chapel, one Mr. Cooper, a Fellow of the house, preaching; and at this time was the Church of England in her greatest splendor, all things decent, and becoming the Peace, and the persons that governed. The most of the following week I spent in visiting the Colleges, and several rarities of the University, which do very much affect young comers.

18th July 1637. I accompanied my eldest brother (age 20), who then quitted Oxford, into the country; and, on the 9th of August, went to visit my friends at Lewes [Map], whence I returned the 12th to Wotton, Surrey [Map]. On the 17th of September, I received the blessed Sacrament at Wotton church, and 23d of October went back to Oxford.

5th November 1637. I received again the Holy Communion in our college chapel, one Prouse, a Fellow (but a mad one), preaching.

9th December 1637. I offered at my first exercise in the Hall, and answered my opponent; and, upon the 11th following, declaimed in the chapel before the Master, Fellows, and Scholars, according to the custom. The 15th after, I first of all opposed in the Hall.

9th December 1637. The Christmas ensuing, being at a Comedy which the gentlemen of Exeter College, Oxford University presented to the University, and standing, for the better advantage of seeing, upon a table in the Hall, which was near to another, in the dark, being constrained by the extraordinary press to quit my station, in leaping down to save myself I dashed my right leg with such violence against the sharp edge of the other board, as gave me a hurt which held me in cure till almost Easter, and confined me to my study.

22nd January 1638. I would needs be admitted into the dancing and vaulting schools; of which late activity one Stokes, the master, did afterward set forth a pretty book, which was published, with many witty elogies before it.

Note. It having now become extremely scarce, the title of it is here given: "The Vaulting Master, or the Art of Vaulting; reduced to a method comprized under certain rules. Illustrated by examples, and now primarily set forth, by Will. Stokes. Printed for Richard Davis, in Oxon, 1665. A small oblong quarto, with the author's portrait prefixed, and a number of plates beautifully engraved, (most probably by Glover,) representing feats of activity on horseback, that appear extraordinary ones at this time of day. (From the communication of James Bindley, Esq., a gentleman whose collection of scarce and valuable books is perhaps hardly to be equalled.)

4th February 1638. One Mr. Wariner preached in our chapel; and, on the 25th, Mr. Wentworth, a kinsman of the Earl of Strafford; after which followed the blessed Sacrament.

13th April 1638. My father (age 51) ordered that I should begin to manage my own expenses, which till then my tutor had done; at which I was much satisfied.

9th July 1638. I went home to visit my friends, and, on the 26th, with my brother (age 21) and sister to Lewes [Map], where we abode till the 31st; and thence to one Mr. Michael's, of Houghton, near Arundel [Map], where we were very well treated; and, on the 2d of August, to Portsmouth, Hampshire [Map], and thence, having surveyed the fortifications (a great rarity in that blessed halcyon time in England), we passed into the Isle of Wight [Map], to the house of my Baroness Richards, in a place called Yaverland; but were turned the following day to Chichester [Map], where, having viewed the city and fair cathedral [Map], we returned home.

1st September 1638. About the beginning of September, I was so afflicted with a quartan ague, that I could by no means get rid of it till the December following. This was the fatal year wherein the rebellious Scots opposed the King, upon the pretense of the introduction of some new ceremonies and the Book of Common Prayer, and madly began our confusions, and their own destruction, too, as it proved in event.

14th January 1639. I came back to Oxford, after my tedious indisposition, and to the infinite loss of my time; and now I began to look upon the rudiments of music, in which I afterward arrived to some formal knowledge, though to small perfection of hand, because I was so frequently diverted with inclinations to newer trifles.

20th May 1639. Accompanied with one Mr. J. Crafford (who afterward being my fellow-traveler in Italy, there changed his religion), I took a journey of pleasure to see the Somersetshire baths [Map], Bristol, Gloucestershire [Map], Cirencester, Gloucestershire [Map], Malmesbury, Wiltshire [Map], Abington, and divers other towns of lesser note; and returned the 25th.

8th October 1639. I went back to Oxford.

14th December 1639. According to injunctions from the Heads of Colleges, I went (among the rest) to the Confirmation at St. Mary's, where, after sermon, the Bishop of Oxford (age 65) laid his hands upon us, with the usual form of benediction prescribed: but this received (I fear) for the more part out of curiosity, rather than with that due preparation and advice which had been requisite, could not be so effectual as otherwise that admirable and useful institution might have been, and as I have since deplored it.