the　wind　carries　it　into　the　City；　so　as　we　know　not　by　the　water…side　what　it　do　there。　　River　full　of　lighters　and　boats　taking　in　goods；　and　good　goods　swimming　in　the　water；　and　only　I　observed　that　hardly　one　lighter　or　boat　in　three　that　had　the　goods　of　a　house　in；　but　there　was　a　pair　of　Virginalls　＇A　sort　of　spinett；　so　called　（according　to　Johnson）　from　young　women　playing　upon　it。＇　　in　it。　　Having　seen　as　much　as　I　could　now；　I　away　to　White　Hall　by　appointment；　and　there　walked　to　St。　James's　Park；　and　there　met　my　wife　and　Creed　and　Wood　and　his　wife；　and　walked　to　my　boat；　and　there　upon　the　water　again；　and　to　the　fire　up　and　down；　it　still　encreasing；　and　the　wind　great。　So　near　the　fire　as　we　could　for　smoke；　and　all　over　the　Thames；　with　one's　faces　in　the　wind；　you　were　almost　burned　with　a　shower　of　fire…drops。　　This　is　very　true：　　so　as　houses　were　burned　by　these　drops　and　flakes　of　fire；　three　or　four；　nay；　five　or　six　houses；　one　from　another。　　When　we　could　endure　no　more　upon　the　water；　we　to　a　little　ale…house　on　the　Bankside；　over　against　the　Three　Cranes；　and　there　staid　till　it　was　dark　almost；　and　saw　the　fire　grow；　and　as　it　grew　darker；　appeared　more　and　more；　and　in　corners　and　upon　steeples；　and　between　churches　and　houses；　as　far　as　we　could　see　up　the　hill　of　the　City；　in　a　most　horrid　malicious　bloody　flame；　not　like　the　fine　flame　of　an　ordinary　fire。　　Barbary　and　her　husband　away　before　us。　　We　staid　till；　it　being　darkish；　we　saw　the　fire　as　only　one　entire　arch　of　fire　from　this　to　the　other　side　the　bridge；　and　in　a　bow　up　the　hill　for　an　arch　of　above　a　mile　long：　　it　made　me　weep　to　see　it。　　The　churches；　houses；　and　all　on　fire；　and　flaming　at　once；　and　a　horrid　noise　the　flames　made；　and　the　cracking　houses　at　their　ruine。　　So　home　with　a　sad　heart；　and　there　find　every　body　discoursing　and　lamenting　the　fire；　and　poor　Tom　Hater　come　with　some　few　of　his　goods　saved　out　of　his　house；　which　was　burned　upon　Fish…street　Hill。　　I　invited　him　to　lie　at　my　house；　and　did　receive　his　goods；　but　was　deceived　in　his　lying　there；　the　news　coming　every　moment　of　the　growth　of　the　fire；　so　as　we　were　forced　to　begin　to　pack　up　our　own　goods；　and　prepare　for　their　removal；　and　did　by　moonshine　（it　being　brave　dry　and　moonshine　and　warm　weather）　carry　much　of　my　goods　into　the　garden；　and　Mr。　Hater　and　I　did　remove　my　money　and　iron　chests　into　my　cellar；　as　thinking　that　the　safest　place。　　And　got　my　bags　of　gold　into　my　office；　ready　to　carry　away；　and　my　chief　papers　of　accounts　also　there；　and　my　tallies　into　a　box　by　themselves。　　So　great　was　our　fear；　as　Sir　W。　Batten　hath　carts　come　out　of　the　country　to　fetch　away　his　goods　this　night。　　We　did　put　Mr。　Hater；　poor　man；　to　bed　a　little；　but　he　got　but　very　little　rest；　so　much　noise　being　in　my　house；　taking　down　of　goods。
  3rd。　　About　four　o'clock　in　the　morning；　my　Lady　Batten　sent　me　a　cart　to　carry　away　all　my　money；　and　plate；　and　best　things；　to　Sir　W。　Rider's　at　Bednall…greene。　　Which　I　did；　riding　myself　in　my　night　gown；　in　the　cart；　and；　Lord！　　to　see　how　the　streets　and　the　highways　are　crowded　with　people　running　and　riding；　and　getting　of　carts　at　any　rate　to　fetch　away　things。　　I　find　Sir　W。　Rider　tired　with　being　called　up　all　night；　and　receiving　things　from　several　friends。　　His　house　full　of　goods；　and　much　of　Sir　W。　Batten's　and　Sir　W。　Pen's；　I　am　eased　at　my　heart　to　have　my　treasure　so　well　secured。　　Then　home；　and　with　much　ado　to　find　a　way；　nor　any　sleep　all　this　night　to　me　nor　my　poor　wife。　　Then　all　this　day　she　and　I；　and　all　my　people　labouring　to　get　away　the　rest　of　our　things；　and　did　get　Mr。　Tooker　to　get　me　a　lighter　to　take　them　in；　and　we　did　carry　them　（myself　some）　over　Tower　Hill；　which　was　by　this　time　full　of　people's　goods；　bringing　their　goods　thither；　and　down　to　the　lighter；　which　lay　at　the　next　quay；　above　the　Tower　Dock。　　And　here　was　my　neighbour's　wife；　Mrs。　；　with　her　pretty　child；　and　some　few　of　her　things；　which　I　did　willingly　give　way　to　be　saved　with　mine；　but　there　was　no　passing　with　any　thing　through　the　postern　the　crowd　was　so　great。　　The　Duke　of　York　come　this　day　by　the　office；　and　spoke　to　us；　and　did　ride　with　his　guard　up　and　down　the　City　to　keep　all　quiet；　（he　being　now　General；　and　having　the　care　of　all）。　　This　day；　Mercer　being　not　at　home；　but　against　her　mistress's　order　gone　to　her　mother's；　and　my　wife　going　thither　to　speak　with　W。　Hewer；　beat　her　there；　and　was　angry；　and　her　mother　saying　that　she　was　not　a　'prentice　girl；　to　ask　leave　every　time　she　goes　abroad；　my　wife　with　good　reason　was　angry；　and　when　she　come　home　bid　her　be　gone　again。　　And　so　she　went　away；　which　troubled　me；　but　yet　less　than　it　would；　because　of　the　condition　we　are　in；　in　fear　of　coming　in　a　little　time　to　being　less　able　to　keep　one　in　her　quality。　　At　night　lay　down　a　little　upon　a　quilt　of　W。　Hewer's；　in　the　office；　all　my　own　things　being　packed　up　or　gone；　and　after　me　my　poor　wife　did　the　like；　we　having　fed　upon　the　remains　of　yesterday's　dinner；　having　no　fire　nor　dishes；　nor　any　opportunity　of　dressing　any　thing。　》》　4th。　　Up　by　break　of　day；　to　get　away　the　remainder　of　my　things；　which　I　did　by　a　lighter　at　the　Iron　gate：　　and　my　hands　so　full；　that　it　was　the　afternoon　before　we　could　get　them　all　away。　　Sir　W。　Pen　and　I　to　the　Tower…street；　and　there　met　the　fire　burning　three　or　four　doors　beyond　Mr。　Howell's；　whose　goods；　poor　man；　his　trayes；　and　dishes；　shovells；　&c。；　were　flung　all　along　Tower…street　in　the　kennels；　and　people　working　therewith　from　one　end　to　the　other；　the　fire　coming　on　in　that　narrow　street；　on　both　sides；　with　infinite　fury。　　Sir　W。　Batten　not　knowing　how　to　remove　his　wine；　did　dig　a　pit　in　the　garden；　and　laid　it　in　there；　and　I　took　the　opportunity　of　laying　all　the　papers　of　my　office　that　I　could　not　otherwise　dispose　of　and　in　the　evening　Sir　W。　Pen　and　I　did　dig　another；　and　put　our　wine　in　it；　and　I　my　parmazan　cheese；　as　well　as　my　wine　and　some　other　things。　The　Duke　of　York　was　at　the　office　this　day；　at　Sir　W。　Pen's；　but　I　happened　not　to　be　within。　　This　afternoon；　sitting　melancholy　with　Sir　W。　Pen　in　our　garden；　and　thinking　of　the　certain　burning　of　this　office；　without　extraordinary　means；　I　did　propose　for　the　sending　up　of　all　our　workmen　from　the　Woolwich　and　Deptford　yards；　（none　whereof　yet　appeared；）　and　to　write　to　Sir　W。　Coventry　to　have　the　Duke　of　York's　permission　to　pull　down　houses；　rather　than　lose　this　office；　which　would　much　hinder　the　King's　business。　　So　Sir　W。　Pen　went　down　this　night；　in　order　to　the　sending　them　up　to…morrow　morning；　and　I　wrote　to　Sir　W。　Coventry　about　the　business；　but　received　no　answer。　　＇A　copy　of　this　letter；　preserved　among　the　Pepys　MSS。　in　the　author's　own　hand…writing；　is　subjoined：　　Sir；The　fire　is　now　very　neere　us　as　well　on　Tower　Streete　as　　Fanchurch　Street　side；　and　we　little　hope　of　our　escape　but　by　　that　remedy；　to　ye　want　whereof　we　doe　certainly　owe　ye　loss　of　　ye　City；　namely；　ye　pulling　down　of　houses；　in　ye　way　of　ye　　fire。　This　way　Sir　W。　Pen　and　myself　have　so　far　concluded　upon　　ye　practising；　that　he　is　gone　to　Woolwich　and　Deptford　to　　supply　himself　with　men　and　necessarys　in　order　to　the　doeing　　thereof；　in　case　at　his　returne　our　condition　be　not　bettered　　and　that　he　meets　with　his　R。Hs。　approbation；　which　I　have　thus　　undertaken　to　learn　of　you；　Pray　please　to　let　me　have　this　　night　（at　whatever　hour　it　is）　what　his　R。　Hs。　directions　are　in　　this　particular；　Sir　J。　Minnes　and　Sir　W。　Batten　having　left；　　us；　we　cannot　add；　though　we　are　well　assured　of　their；　as　well　　as　all　ye　neighbourhood's　concurrence。　　Sir　W。Coventry；　　　　　　　　Yr　obedient　Servnt；　　　　　　　　　　　　　Septr。　4；　1666。　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　S。P。＇　This　night　Mrs。　Turner　（who；　poor　woman；　was　removing　her　goods　all　this　day；　good　goods　into　the　garden；　and　knows　not　how　to　dispose　of　them）　and　her　husband　supped　with　my　wife　and　me　at　night；　in　the　office；　upon　a　shoulder　of　mutton　from　the　cook's；　without　any　napkin；　or　any　thing；　in　a　sad　manner；　but　were　merry。　　Only　now　and　then；　walking　into　the　garden；　saw　how　horribly　the　sky　looks；　all　on　a　fire　in　the　night；　was　enough　to　put　us　out　of　our　wits；　and；　indeed；　it　was　extremely　dreadfull；　for　it　looks　just　as　if　it　was　at　us；　and　the　whole　heaven　on　fire。　　I　after　supper　walked　in　the　dark　down　to　Tower…street；　and　there　saw　it　all　on　fire；　at　the　Trinity　House　on　that　side；　and　the　Dolphin　Tavern　on　this　side；　which　was　very　near　us；　and　the　fire　with　extraordinary　vehemence。　　Now　begins　the　practice　of　blowing　up　of　houses　in　Tower…street；　those　next　the　Tower；　which　at　first　did　frighten　people　more　than　any　thing；　but　it　stopped　the　fire　where　it　was　done；　it　bringing　down　the　houses　to　the　ground　in　the　same　places　they　stood；　and　then　it　was　easy　to　quench　what　little　fire　was　in　it；　though　it　kindled　nothing　almost。　　W。Hewer　this　day　went　to　see　how　his　mother　did；　and　comes　late　home；　telling　us　how　he　hath　been　forced　to　remove　her　to　Islington；　her　house　in　Pye…corner　being　burned；　so　that　the　fire　is　got　so　far　that　way；　and　to　the　Old　Bayly；　and　was　running　down　to　Fleet…street；　and　Paul's　is　burned；　and　all　Cheepside。　　I　wrote　to　my　father　th