rt, leaving Mrs. Evelyn as his sole
heiress. Meanwhile grandchildren had been born to Evelyn, some of whom
soon died in infancy. His appointment on the Council of Plantations and
Trade seems to have lapsed before this time, for no further mention is
made in his diary of Council meetings, and he seems to have resided
chiefly at Sayes Court, gardening and spending his time in scholarly
leisure and recreation. This surmise is borne out by what he says in
1683, 'Oct. 4th. I went to London, on receiving a note from the
Countesse of Arlington, of some considerable charge or advantage I might
obtaine by applying myselfe to his Majesty on this signal conjuncture of
his Majesty entering up judgment against the City charter; the proposal
made me I wholly declin'd, not being well satisfied with these violent
transactions, and not a little sorry that his Majesty was so often put
upon things of this nature against so great a Citty, the consequence
wheroff may be so much to his prejudice; so I return'd home.'

On 6th February 1685 King Charles II. died after an apoplectic fit, and
his brother James, Duke of York, ascended the throne. Evelyn comments
fully on the virtues and vices of the late monarch. 'He would doubtless
have been an excellent Prince had he been less addicted to women, who
made him uneasy, and allways in want to supply their immeasurable
profusion, to ye detriment of many indigent persons who had signaly
serv'd both him and his father..... He was ever kind to me, and very
gracious upon all occasions, and therefore I cannot, without
ingratitude, but deplore his loss, which for many respects, as well as
duty, I do with all my soul.'

VI

_Evelyn's Declining Years_ (1685-1706).

With the accession of James II., Evelyn was again to feel the sunny
warmth of royal favour in the form of an official appointment. But
previous to this he had to suffer a heavy loss by the death from
small-pox of his eldest daughter Mary, in the 19th year of her age, who
had been born at Wotton in the same room as her father had first seen
the light.

In September 1685 Evelyn was informed that on Lord Clarendon, Lord Privy
Seal, going to assume the Lord Lieutenancy of Ireland the King had
nominated him as one of the Commissioners to execute the office of Privy
Seal during such appointment; and early in December he was 'put into the
new Commission of Sewers.' It was nearly Christmas before he kissed
hands on receiving the patent for execut