OX GARDENS 237 



of Putti about it. 'Tis inviron'd in a dry raoate, the 

 offices under-ground, the gardens very excellent with 

 extraordinary long walkes set with elmes, and a noble 

 prospect towards the forest and on the Seine towards 

 Paris. Take it altogether, the meadows, walkes, 

 river, forest, corne-ground, and vineyards, I hardly 

 saw anything in Italy exceede it. The yron gates are 

 very magnificent. He has pulled downe a whole 

 village to make roome for his pleasure about it. 



March 22, 1652. I went with my brother Evelyn 

 to Wotton to give him what directions I was able about 

 his garden, which he was now desirous to put into some 

 forme ; but for which he was to remove a mountaine 

 overgrowne with huge trees and thicket, with a moate 

 within 1 yards of the house. This my brother immedi- 

 ately attempted, and that without greate cost, for more 

 than an hundred yards South, by digging downe the 

 mountaine and flinging it into a rapid streame, it not onely 

 carried away the sand, &c. but filled up the moate, and 

 level'd that noble area, where now the garden and foun- 

 taine is. The first occasion of my brother making 

 this alteration was my building the little retiring place 

 betweene the greate wood Eastward next the meadow, 



