The Diary Of John Evelyn Vol-2

DIARY OF LONBON

quick and swift river, so well and plentifully stored with
fish, that for pike, carp, bream, and tench, I never saw
anything approaching it. We had at every meal carp
and pike of a size fit for the table of a Prince, and what
added to the delight was, to see the hundreds taken by
the drag, out of which, the cook standing by, we pointed
out what we had most mind to, and had carp that would
have heen worth at London twenty shillings a piece.
The waters are flagged about with Caldmus aromaticus,
with which my lady has hung a closet, that retains the
smell very perfectly. There is also a certain sweet wil-
low and other exotics: also a very fine bowling-green,
meadow, pasture, and wood; in a word, all that can
render a country seat delightful There is besides a well-
furnished library in the house.

26th October, 1685. We returned to London, having
been treated with all sorts of cheer and noble freedom
by that most religious and virtuous lady. She was now
preparing to go for Ireland with her husband, made
Lord Deputy, and went to this country house and ancient
seat of her father and family, to set things in order
during her absence; but never were good people and
neighbors more concerned than all the country (the poor
especially) for the departure of this charitable woman;
everyone was in tears, and she as -unwilling to part
from them. There was among them a maiden of primi-
tive life, the daughter of a poor laboring" man, who
bad sustained her parents (some time since dead) by
her labor, and has for many years refused marriage, or
to receive any assistance from the parish, besides the
little hermitage my lady gives her rent-free; she lives on
four pence a day, which she gets by spinning; says she
abounds and can give alms to others, living in great
humility and content, without any apparent affectation,
or singularity; she is _continually working, praying, or
reading, gives a good account of her knowledge in reli-
gion, visits the sick; is not in the least given to talk; very
modest, of a simple not unseemingly behavior; of a
comely countenance, clad very plain, but clean and tight.
In sum, she appears a saint of an extraordinary sort, in
so religions a life, as is seldom met with in villages now-
a-days.

27th October, 1685. I was invited to dine at Sir Stephenurch of England, it is certainly, ofes,hat they pretended to do. J* ^ that he could do none of Worcester he would have no further com-