Hi INTRODUCTION 



sealed in August 1703 Evelyn resigned his office of Trea- 

 surer in favour of Draper. 



His brother George dying in October 1699, Evelyn then 

 became the owner of Wotton, and looked to his grandson, 

 the Oxford Student, to * be the support of the Wotton 

 family. ' The lad had a bad attack of small-pox in the autumn 

 of 1700, a malady that had caused many gaps in the family 

 circle ; but, coming safely through this illness, he was in 

 July 1701, by the patronage of Lord Godolphin, made one 

 of the Commissioners of the Prizes, with a salary of 500 

 a year, while he was still an undergraduate at Oxford. And 

 in January 1704 the same noble patron appointed him 

 Treasurer of the Stamp Duties, with a salary of 300 a year. 

 He afterwards married Ann, daughter of Hugh Boscawen 

 (afterwards Lord Falmouth),Lord Godolphin's niece, and was 

 created a baronet in 1713. It was through him that the present 

 family of Evelyn of Wotton directly descend, though the 

 baronetcy lapsed on the death of his grandson Frederick in 1 8 1 2. 



As he had done twenty years before, so also on now 

 attaining his 8oth birthday on 3ist. October 1700 Evelyn 

 rendered thanks for mercies with his characteristic religious 

 feeling. ' I with my soul render thanks to God, who of his 

 infinite mercy, not only brought me out of many troubles, 

 but this yeare restor'd me to health, after an ague and other 

 infirmities of so greate an age, my sight, hearing and other 

 senses and faculties tolerable, which I implore him to continue, 

 with the pardon of my sins past, and grace to acknowledge 

 by my improvement of his goodnesse the ensuing yeare, if 

 it be his pleasure to protract my life, that I may be the better 

 prepar'd for my last day, through the infinite merits of my 

 blessed Saviour, the Lord Jesus, Amen. ' 



Five times more was he to be privileged to record his 

 thanks and prayers on successive returns of this anniversary. 

 One of the very last entries in his memoirs is that on 3ist. 

 October 1705 * I am this day arriv'd to the 85th year of 

 my age. Lord teach me so to number my days to come 

 that 1 may apply them to wisdom '. And numbered, indeed, 

 they then were ; for on the 27th of February 1706 he pas- 

 sed quietly and peacefully away, retaining his faculties to the 

 last. And he was laid at rest in the Chancel of Wotton Church. 



