ation
secured.' Retracing his steps to Rotterdam, Delft, the Hague and Leyden,
he also visited Haerlem, Amsterdam, Antwerp, Brussels and various other
towns before returning by way of Ostend, Dunkirk and Dover to Wotton,
where he celebrated his 21st birthday.

Although his _Diary_ does not contain any details on such matters as
Pepys would have been free to record in his cipher, John Evelyn was
probably rather a gay and pleasure-loving youth about this time. A
suspicion of this seems justified by the fact that he 'was elected one
of the Comptrolers of the Middle Temple-revellers, as the fashion of ye
young Students and Gentlemen was, the Christmas being kept this year
(1641) with great solemnity; but being desirous to passe it in the
Country, I got leave to resign my staffe of office, and went with my
brother Richard to Wotton.' From January till March he was back in
London 'studying a little, but dancing and fooling more.'

III

_Evelyn's Early Manhood, Continental Travels and Studies, Voluntary
Exile, and Return to England 1647._

It was hardly possible that anyone situated as Evelyn was could hold
aloof from the party strife when civil war broke out during the course
of this year. And, of course, he was on the Royalist side. But he did
not serve long with the troops. Here is his own record of that military
service,--'Oct. 3rd. To Chichester, and hence the next day to see the
siege of Portsmouth; for now was that bloody difference betweene the
King and Parliament broken out, which ended in the fatal tragedy so many
years after. It was on the day of its being render'd to Sir William
Waller, which gave me an opportunity of taking my leave of Colonel
Goring the Governor, now embarqueing for France. This day was fought
that signal Battaile at Edgehill. Thence I went to Southampton and
Winchester, where I visited the Castle, Schole, Church, and King
Arthur's Round Table, but especially the Church, and its Saxon Kings'
Monuments, which I esteemed a worthy antiquity. 12th. November, was the
Battle of Braineford surprisingly fought, and to the greate
consternation of the Citty had his Majesty (as twas believed he would)
pursu'd his advantage. I came in with my horse and armes just at the
retreate, but was not permitted to stay longer than the 15th. by reason
of the Army's marching to Glocester, which would have left both me and
my brother expos'd to ruine, without any advantage to his Majestie. Dec.
7th. I went from Wo