‘The Restoration Procession of Charles II at Cheapside’ as imagined by William Hogarth (1697-1764), and painted in about 1745. Evelyn was an eyewitness, not in Cheapside but in the Strand. Another well-known diarist, Samuel Pepys, had accompanied Charles aboard his ship from the Netherlands, and at Dover on May 25th wrote that “the shouting and joy expressed by all is past imagination.” A fortnight before, on May 11th, Evelyn had recorded the dissolution of the so-called ‘Rump Parliament,’ ending Cromwell’s shameful republic. “For joy whereof were many thousands of rumps roasted publicly in the streets at the bonfires this night, with ringing of bells, and universal jubilee.”
Introduction
On May 29th, 1660, King Charles II rode into London, nine years after his defeat at the Battle of Worcester and exile to the Continent. The King’s return was witnessed by diarist John Evelyn, who had fought for the Royalist cause. He too had endured exile, in France and in Italy, and since his return to London had chafed under Cromwell’s self-righteous nanny state.
MAY 29th. This day, his Majesty, Charles the Second came to London, after a sad and long exile and calamitous suffering both of the King and Church, being seventeen years.* This was also his birthday, and with a triumph of above 20,000 horse and foot, brandishing their swords, and shouting with inexpressible joy; the ways strewed with flowers, the bells ringing, the streets hung with tapestry, fountains running with wine; the Mayor, Aldermen, and all the Companies, in their liveries, chains of gold, and banners; Lords and Nobles, clad in cloth of silver, gold, and velvet; the windows and balconies, all set with ladies; trumpets, music, and myriads of people flocking, even so far as from Rochester, so as they were seven hours in passing the city, even from two in the afternoon till nine at night.
I stood in the Strand and beheld it, and blessed God. And all this was done without one drop of blood shed, and by that very army which rebelled against him: but it was the Lord’s doing.
From ‘The Diary of John Evelyn’ Vol. 2 (1647-1676) by John Evelyn (1620-1706), edited (1906) by Austin Dobson.
* The first engagement of the Civil Wars was the inconclusive Battle of Edgehill on October 23rd, 1642. Charles I had raised his battle standard for the first time at Nottingham, on August 22nd that year. The forces of Parliament’s New Model Army, created in 1645, proved the stronger under the generalship of Oliver Cromwell. Charles I was captured, tried for treason before Parliament (once his supporters had been shown the door) and executed on January 30th, 1649. His son Charles II succeeded him, but was driven from the country following defeat at Worcester on September 3rd, 1651.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Précis
Diarist John Evelyn recorded the day in 1660 — it was May 29th — when Charles II rode back into London after nine years of exile. From his vantage-point in the Strand, he watched the crowds and civic dignitaries march by with their colourful banners, and listened to the bells and the marching bands, and blessed God for a bloodless victory. (59 / 60 words)
Diarist John Evelyn recorded the day in 1660 — it was May 29th — when Charles II rode back into London after nine years of exile. From his vantage-point in the Strand, he watched the crowds and civic dignitaries march by with their colourful banners, and listened to the bells and the marching bands, and blessed God for a bloodless victory.
Variations: 1.increase the length of this precis to exactly 65 words. 2.reduce the length of this precis to exactly 55 words. 3.introduce one of the following words into the precis: about, because, besides, despite, if, not, or, ought.
About the Author
Sir John Evelyn (1620-1706) fought for Charles I in the Civil War, but left England in 1646 to tour France and Italy, studying art, anatomy and antiquities; he married Mary Browne, daughter of Sir Richard Browne, the English ambassador in Paris, in 1647. Evelyn returned home in time in 1651. Following the Restoration in 1660, he held a number of minor but socially very useful offices (for example, he established veterans’ hospitals and presented a study of pollution) in the court of King Charles II. Evelyn assisted in the establishment of the Royal Society, which elected him a Fellow in 1661, and his London home, Sayes Court, was made available to the Government, playing host among others to Tsar Peter the Great of Russia; the gardens were a matter of special pride, and Evelyn gained a reputation as an expert on trees. He wrote on a wide variety of subjects, and his diary, detailing his life and many contemporary events from 1641 onwards, is an invaluable historical record.
Archive
Word Games
Jigsaws Based on this passage
Express the ideas below in a single sentence, using different words as much as possible. Do not be satisfied with the first answer you think of; think of several, and choose the best.
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 I. Brandish. Way.
2 Lady. Their. They.
3 Chain. Exile. Seventeen.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Run. 2 Set. 3 Chain. 4 Pass. 5 Flower. 6 Drop. 7 Till. 8 Ring. 9 Stand.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
High Tiles Find in Think and Speak
Make words (three letters or more) from the seven letters showing below, using any letter once only. Each letter carries a score. What is the highest-scoring word you can make?
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0
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