first　upon　the　end　of　a　board　that　among　others　was　laid　upon　the　roof　instead　of　lead；　the　lead　being　broke　off；　and　thence　down　lower　and　lower：　　but　that　the　burning　of　the　goods　under　St。　Fayth's　arose　from　the　goods　taking　fire　in　the　church…yard；　and　so　got　into　St。　Fayth's　church；　and　that　they　first　took　fire　from　the　Draper's　side；　by　some　timber　of　the　houses　that　were　burned　falling　into　the　church。　　He　says　that　one　warehouse　of　books　was　saved　under　Paul's；　and　there　were　several　dogs　found　burned　among　the　goods　in　the　churchyard；　and　but　one　man；　which　was　an　old　man；　that　said　he　would　go　and　save　a　blanket　which　he　had　in　the　church；　and　being　weak　the　fire　overcame　him。　　He　says　that　most　of　the　booksellers　do　design　to　fall　a…building　again　the　next　year；　but　that　the　Bishop　of　London　do　use　them　most　basely；　worse　than　any　other　landlords；　and　says　he　will　be　paid　to　this　day　the　rent；　or　else　he　will　not　come　to　treat　with　them　for　the　time　to　come；　and　will　not；　on　that　condition　either；　promise　them　in　any　thing　how　he　will　use　them；　and　the　Parliament　sitting；　he　claims　his　privilege；　and　will　not　be　cited　before　the　Lord　Chief　Justice　as　others　are　there；　to　be　forced　to　a　fair　dealing。　　Thence　by　coach　to　Mrs。　Pierce's；　where　my　wife　is；　and　there　they　fell　to　discourse　of　the　last　night's　work　at　Court；　where　the　ladies　and　Duke　of　Monmouth　and　others　acted。　　〃The　Indian　Emperour；〃　wherein　they　told　me　these　things　most　remarkable：　　That　not　any　woman　but　the　Duchesse　of　Monmouth　and　Mrs。　Cornwallis　did　any　thing　but　like　fools　and　stocks；　but　that　these　two　did　do　most　extraordinary　well：　　that　not　any　man　did　any　thing　well　but　Captain　Olrigran；　＇SIC。　ORIG。＇　　who　spoke　and　did　well；　but　above　all　things　did　dance　most　incomparably。　　That　she　did　sit　near　the　players　of　the　Duke's　house；　among　the　rest　Miss　Davis；　who　is　the　most　impertinent　slut；　she　says；　in　the　world；　and　the　more；　now　the　King　do　show　her　countenance；　and　is　reckoned　his　mistress；　even　to　the　scorne　of　the　whole　world；　the　King　gazing　on　her；　and　my　Lady　Castlemaine　being　melancholy　and　out　of　humour；　all　the　play　not　smiling　once。　　The　King；　it　seems；　hath　given　her　a　ring　of　700l。　which　she　shows　to　every　body；　and　owns　that　the　King　did　give　it　her；　and　he　hath　furnished　a　house　in　Suffolke…street　most　richly　for　her；　which　is　a　most　infinite　shame。　　It　seems　she　is　a　bastard　of　Colonell　Howard；　my　Lord　Berkshire；　and　that　he　hath　got　her　for　the　King：　　but　Pierce　says　that　she　is　a　most　homely　jade　as　ever　she　saw；　though　she　dances　beyond　any　thing　in　the　world。　　She　tells　me　that　the　Duchesse　of　Richmond　do　not　yet　come　to　the　Court；　nor　hath　seen　the　King；　nor　will　not；　nor　do　he　own　his　desire　of　seeing　her；　but　hath　used　means　to　get　her　to　Court；　but　they　do　not　take。
  15th。　　This　afternoon　my　Lord　Anglesy　tells　us　that　it　is　voted　in　Council　to　have　a　fleet　of　50　ships　out：　　but　it　is　only　a　disguise　for　the　Parliament　to　get　some　money　by；　but　it　will　not　take；　I　believe。
  16th。　　Lord　Anglesy　tells　us　again　that　a　fleet　is　to　be　set　out；　and　that　it　is　generally；　he　hears；　said　that　it　is　but　a　Spanish　rhodomontado；　and　that　he　saying　so　just　now　to　the　Duke　of　Albemarle；　who　came　to　town　last　night　（after　the　thing　was　ordered；）　he　told　him　a　story　of　two　seamen：　　one　wished　all　the　guns　of　the　ship　were　his；　and　that　they　were　silver；　and　says　the　other；　〃You　are　a　fool；　for　if　you　can　have　it　for　wishing；　why　do　you　not　wish　them　gold？〃　　〃So；〃　says　he；　〃if　a　rhodomontado　will　do　any　good；　why　do　you　not　say　100　ships？〃　And　it　is　true；　for　the　Dutch　and　French　are　said　to　make　such　preparations　as　50　sail　will　do　no　good。　　Mightily　pleased　with　Mr。　Gibson's　talking；　he　telling　me　so　many　good　stories　relating　to　the　war　and　practices　of　commanders　which　I　will　find　a　time　to　recollect；　and　he　will　be　an　admirable　help　to　my　writing　a　history　of　the　Navy；　if　ever　I　do。
  17th。　　Much　discourse　of　the　duell　yesterday　between　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　Holmes；　and　one　Jenkins；　on　one　side；　and　my　Lord　of　Shrewsbury；　＇Francis；　eleventh　Earl　of　Shrewsbury；　died　of　his　wounds　March　16th　following。＇　　Sir　John　Talbot；　＇Sir　John　Talbot；　a　Gentleman　of　the　Privy　Chamber；　M。P。　for　Knaresborough。＇　　and　one　Bernard　Howard　＇Bernard　Howard；　eighth　son　of　Henry　Frederic　Earl　of　Arundel。＇　　on　the　other　side：　　and　all　about；　my　Lady　Shrewsbury；　＇Anna　Maria；　daughter　of　Robert　Earl　of　Cardigan；　the　Duke　of　Buckingham's　mistress；　and　said　to　have　held　his　horse；　in　the　habit　of　a　page；　while　he　was　fighting　with　her　husband。　She　married；　secondly；　George　Rodney　Bridges；　son　of　Sir　Thomas　Bridges　of　Keynsham；　Somerset；　and　died　April　20；　1702。＇　　who　is　at　this　time；　and　hath　for　a　great　while　been；　a　mistress　to　the　Duke　of　Buckingham。　　And　so　her　husband　challenged　him；　and　they　met　yesterday　in　a　close　near　Barne…Elmes　and　there　fought：　　and　my　Lord　Shrewsbury　is　run　through　the　body；　from　the　right　breast　through　the　shoulder；　and　Sir　John　Talbot　all　along　up　one　of　his　armes；　and　Jenkins　killed　upon　the　place；　and　the　rest　all　in　a　little　measure　wounded。　　This　will　make　the　world　think　that　the　King　hath　good　counsellors　about　him；　when　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　the　greatest　man　about　him；　is　a　fellow　of　no　more　sobriety　than　to　fight　about　a　mistress。　　And　this　may　prove　a　very　bad　accident　to　the　Duke　of　Buckingham；　but　that　my　Lady　Castlemaine　do　rule　all　at　this　time　as　much　as　ever　she　did；　and　she　will；　it　is　believed；　keep　all　matters　well　with　the　Duke　of　Buckingham：　　though　this　is　a　time　that　the　King　will　be　very　backward；　I　suppose；　to　appear　in　such　a　business。　　And　it　is　pretty　to　hear　how　the　King　had　some　notice　of　this　challenge　a　week　or　two　ago；　and　did　give　it　to　my　Lord　Generall　to　confine　the　Duke；　or　take　security　that　he　should　not　do　any　such　thing　as　fight：　　and　the　Generall　trusted　to　the　King　that　he；　sending　for　him；　would　do　it；　and　the　King　trusted　to　the　Generall。　　And　it　is　said　that　my　Lord　Shrewsbury's　case　is　to　be　feared；　that　he　may　die　too；　and　that　may　make　it　much　worse　for　the　Duke　of　Buckingham：　　and　I　shall　not　be　much　sorry　for　it；　that　we　may　have　some　sober　man　come　in　his　room　to　assist　in　the　Government。　Creed　tells　me　of　Mr。　Harry　Howard's　giving　the　Royall　Society　a　piece　of　ground　next　to　his　house　to　build　a　college　on：　　which　is　a　most　generous　act。　　And　he　tells　me　he　is　a　very　fine　person；　and　understands　and　speaks　well；　and　no　rigid　Papist　neither；　but　one　that　would　not　have　a　Protestant　servant　leave　his　religion；　which　he　was　going　to　do；　thinking　to　recommend　himself　to　his　master　by　it；　saying；　that　he　had　rather　have　an　honest　Protestant　than　a　knavish　Catholique。　　I　was　not　called　in　to　the　Council　and　therefore　home；　first　informing　myself　that　my　Lord　Hinchingbroke　hath　been　married　this　week　to　my　Lord　Burlington's　daughter：　　so　that　that　great　business　is　over；　and　I　am　mighty　glad　of　it；　though　I　am　not　satisfied　that　I　have　not　a　favour　sent　me。
  19th。　　Lord　Shrewsbury　is　likely　to　do　well。
  20th。　　To　Drumbleby's　the　pipe…maker；　there　to　advise　about　the　making　of　a　flageolet　to　go　low　and　soft；　and　he　do　show　me　a　way　which　do　do；　and　also　a　fashion　of　having　two　pipes　of　the　same　note　fastened　together；　so　as　I　can　play　on　one；　and　then　echo　it　upon　the　other；　which　is　mighty　pretty。　　So　to　my　Lord　Crewe's　to　dinner；　where　we　hear　all　the　good　news　of　our　making　a　league　now　with　Holland　against　the　French　Power　coming　over　them　or　us：　which　is　the　first　good　act　that　hath　been　done　a　great　while；　and　done　secretly　and　with　great　seeming　wisdom；　and　is　certainly　good　for　us　at　this　time；　while　we　are　in　no　condition　to　resist　the　French；　if　he　should　come　over　hither：　　and　then　a　little　time　of　peace　will　give　us　time　to　lay　up　something；　which　these　Commissioners　of　the　Treasury　are　doing；　and　the　world　do　begin　to　see　that　they　will　do　the　King's　work　for　him；　if　he　will　let　them。　　My　Lord　told　a　good　story　of　Mr。　Newman；　the　Minister　in　New　England；　who　wrote　the　Concordance；　of　his　foretelling　his　death　and　preaching　a　funeral　sermon；　and　did　at　last　bid　the　angels　do　their　office；　and　died。　　It　seems　there　is　great　presumption　that　there　will　be　a　Toleration　granted：　　so　that　the　Presbyterians　do　hold　up　their　heads；　but　they　will　hardly　trust　the　King　or　the　Parliament　what　to　yield　them；　though　most　of　the　sober　party　be　for　some　kind　of　allowance　to　be　given　them。　　Lord　Gerard　is　likely　to　meet　with　ill；　the　next　sitting　of　Parliament；　about　Carr　being　set　in　the　pillory；　and　I　am　glad　of　it。　　And　it　is　mighty　acceptable　to　the　world　to　hear；　that　among　other　reductions　the　King　do　reduce　his　Guards：　　which　do　please　mightily。
  21st。　　Comes　news　from　Kate　Joyce　that；　if　I　would　see　her　husband　alive；　I　must　come　presently。　　So　I　to　him；　and　and　his　breath　rattled　in　the　throate；　and　they　did　lay　pigeons　to　his　feet；　and　all　despair　of　him。　　It　seems　on　Thursday　last　he　went　sober　and　quiet　to　Islington；　and　behind　one　of　the　inns　（the　White　Lion）　did　fling　himself　into　a　pond：　　was　spied　by　a　poor　woman；　and　got　out　by　some　people；　and　set　on　his　head　and　got　to　life：　　and　so　his　wife　and　friends　sent　for。　　He　confessed　his　doing　the　thing；　being　led　by　the