harles, then Prince of Wales, who was holding his court at
St. Germains. In October he returned by Rouen, Dieppe, and Calais, and
'got safe to Dover, for which I heartily put up my thanks to God who had
conducted me safe to my owne country, and been mercifull to me through
so many aberrations' during a period extending over four years. He
returned alone, 'leaving my wife, yet very young, under the care of an
excellent lady and prudent mother.' Indeed, she was a mere child, being
then not more than twelve years of age, and her father was only Evelyn's
senior by fifteen years.

IV

_Evelyn's Attitude during the Commonwealth 1647-1660._

Arrived at Wotton, he at once went to kiss his Majesty's hand at Hampton
Court and convey tidings from Paris, King Charles 'being now in the
power of those execrable villains who not long after murder'd him.'
Thence he betook himself to Sayes Court, near Deptford in Kent, the
estate belonging to his father-in-law, where he 'had a lodging and some
bookes.' It was here that he was living when his first literary work was
published, _Of Liberty and Servitude_, a translation from the French of
Le Vayer, in January, 1649, though the dedication of it to his brother
George bears date 25th January, 1647. He was very near getting into
trouble about the preface to this, because in his own copy he noted that
'I was like to be call'd in question by the Rebells for this booke,
being published a few days before his Majesty's decollation.' Although
he took no prominent part in politics at this particular time, yet he
could hardly help playing with the fire. Thus, on 11th December, 'I got
privately into the council of ye rebell army at Whitehall, where I heard
horrid villanies.' Having money in hand, either from savings during the
four years' sojourn abroad, where his expenses (including all purchases
of objects of art and vertu) did not amount to more than L300 a year, or
else from his child-wife's dowry, he dabbled in land speculation with
the fairly satisfactory result that on the whole he does not appear to
have lost much by it.

On 17th January, 1649, he 'heard the rebell Peters incite the rebell
powers met in the Painted Chamber to destroy his Majesty, and saw that
archtraytor Bradshaw, who not long after condemn'd him.' But his loyalty
kept him from being present at the death-scene. 'The villanie of the
rebells proceeding now so far as to trie, condemne and murder our
excellent King on the 30t