AT SAYE'S COURT, DEPTFORD. 



39 



celebrated Saye's Court, Evelyn's charming house and grounds'* close to Deptford Dock- 

 yard, which had just become vacant by the removal of Admiral Benbow, who had been its 

 tenant. A special doorway was broken through the boundary wall of the dockyard to 

 facilitate communication for the Czar. Benbow had given poor Evelyn much dissatisfaction, 

 but the new occupant was rather worse. His servant wrote to him, " There is a house full 

 of people, right nasty. The Tzar lies .next your study, and dines in the parlour next your 



SAYE S COURT, DEPTFOKD. 



study. He dines at ten o'clock, and six at night ; is very seldom at home a whole night ; 

 very often in the king's yard, or by water, dressed in several dresses. The king is expected 

 there this day ; the best parlour is pretty clean for him to be entertained in. The king 

 pays for all he has." But, alas for poor Evelyn's hedges ! The Czar, by way of exercise, 

 and to prove his strength, used to trundle a wheel-barrow, full tilt, through a favourite 

 holly-hedge, " which," says Evelyn, " I can still show in my ruined gardens at Saye's 

 Court (thanks to the Tzar of Muscovy)." The Czar employed his days in acquiring 

 information on all branches of naval architecture, and in sailing about the river with 



* The site of Evelyn's mansion was long covered with a workhouse ; the shady walks and splendidly kept 

 hedges are now replaced by a victualling yard, where oxen and hogs are slaughtered for the use of the navy, 

 and the transformation of all his haunts in the neighbourhood has been unpleasantly complete. 



