one I sent it to Sir W. Coventry
to peruse and send to the fleete by the first opportunity; and so pretty
betimes to bed. Much pleased to-day with thoughts of gilding the backs
of all my books alike in my new presses.

SEPTEMBER 1666

September 1st. Up and at the office all the morning, and then dined at
home. Got my new closet made mighty clean against to-morrow. Sir W. Pen
and my wife and Mercer and I to "Polichinelly," but were there horribly
frighted to see Young Killigrew come in with a great many more young
sparks; but we hid ourselves, so as we think they did not see us. By
and by, they went away, and then we were at rest again; and so, the play
being done, we to Islington, and there eat and drank and mighty merry;
and so home singing, and, after a letter or two at the office, to bed.

2nd (Lord's day). Some of our mayds sitting up late last night to get
things ready against our feast to-day, Jane called us up about three in
the morning, to tell us of a great fire they saw in the City. So I rose
and slipped on my nightgowne, and went to her window, and thought it to
be on the backside of Marke-lane at the farthest; but, being unused to
such fires as followed, I thought it far enough off; and so went to bed
again and to sleep. About seven rose again to dress myself, and there
looked out at the window, and saw the fire not so much as it was and
further off. So to my closett to set things to rights after yesterday's
cleaning. By and by Jane comes and tells me that she hears that above
300 houses have been burned down to-night by the fire we saw, and that
it is now burning down all Fish-street, by London Bridge. So I made
myself ready presently, and walked to the Tower, and there got up upon
one of the high places, Sir J. Robinson's little son going up with me;
and there I did see the houses at that end of the bridge all on fire,
and an infinite great fire on this and the other side the end of the
bridge; which, among other people, did trouble me for poor little
Michell and our Sarah on the bridge. So down, with my heart full of
trouble, to the Lieutenant of the Tower, who tells me that it begun this
morning in the King's baker's' house in Pudding-lane, and that it hath
burned St. Magnus's Church and most part of Fish-street already. So I
down to the water-side, and there got a boat and through bridge, and
there saw a lamentable fire. Poor Michell's house, as far as the Old
Swan, already burned that way, and