Biography of Elizabeth Evelyn 1614-1634

On 27th January 1614 [her father] Richard Evelyn of Wotton (age 27) and [her mother] Eleanor Stansfield (age 15) were married.

After 27th January 1614 Elizabeth Evelyn was born to [her father] Richard Evelyn of Wotton (age 27) and [her mother] Eleanor Stansfield (age 15).

John Evelyn's Diary. 1632. My eldest sister (age 17) was married to [her future husband] Edward Darcy, Esq, who little deserved so excellent a person, a woman of so rare virtue. I was not present at the nuptials; but I was soon afterward sent for into Surrey, and my [her father] father (age 45) would willingly have weaned me from my fondness of my too indulgent [her grandmother] grandmother, intending to have placed me at Eton College [Map]; but, not being so provident for my own benefit, and unreasonably terrified with the report of the severe discipline there, I was sent back to Lewes [Map]; which perverseness of mine I have since a thousand times deplored. This was the first time that ever my parents had seen all their children together in prosperity. While I was now trifling at home, I saw London, where I lay one night only. The next day, I dined at Beddington, Surrey, where I was much delighted with the gardens and curiosities. Thence, we returned to the Baroness Darcy's, at Sutton; thence to Wotton, Surrey [Map]; and, on the 16th of August following, 1633, back to Lewes [Map].

On 21st October 1632 Edward Darcy and Elizabeth Evelyn (age 18) were married.

John Evelyn's Diary. 3rd November 1633. Though her physicians, Dr. Meverell, Dr. Clement, and Dr. Rand, had given over all hopes of her recovery, and Sir Sanders Duncombe (age 63) had tried his celebrated and famous powder, yet she was many days impairing, and endured the sharpest conflicts of her sickness with admirable patience and most Christian resignation, retaining both her intellectuals and ardent affections for her dissolution, to the very article of her departure. When near her dissolution, she laid her hand on every one of her children; and taking solemn leave of my [her father] father (age 46), with elevated heart and eyes, she quietly expired, and resigned her soul to God. Thus ended that prudent and pious woman, in the flower of her age, to the inconsolable affliction of her husband, irreparable loss of her children, and universal regret of all that knew her. She was interred, as near as might be, to her daughter Darcy (age 19), the 3d of October, at night, but with no mean ceremony.

John Evelyn's Diary. 15th December, 1634: My dear sister, Darcy (age 20), departed this life, being arrived to her 20th year of age; in virtue advanced beyond her years, or the merit of her [her husband] husband, the worst of men. She had been brought to bed the 2d of June before, but the infant died soon after her, the 24th of December. I was therefore sent for home the second time, to celebrate the obsequies of my sister; who was interred in a very honorable manner in our dormitory joining to the parish church, where now her monument stands.

On 15th December 1634 Elizabeth Evelyn (age 20) died. She was buried in St John's Church, Wotton.