).]
Here meeting, with Captain Cocke, I in his coach, which he lent me, and
Creed with me to Paul's, and there walked along Watlingstreet, as well
as I could, every creature coming away loaden with goods to save, and
here and there sicke people carried away in beds. Extraordinary good
goods carried in carts and on backs. At last met my Lord Mayor in
Canningstreet, like a man spent, with a handkercher about his neck. To
the King's message he cried, like a fainting woman, "Lord! what can
I do? I am spent: people will not obey me. I have been pulling down
houses; but the fire overtakes us faster than we can do it." That he
needed no more soldiers; and that, for himself, he must go and refresh
himself, having been up all night. So he left me, and I him, and walked
home, seeing people all almost distracted, and no manner of means used
to quench the fire. The houses, too, so very thick thereabouts, and
full of matter for burning, as pitch and tarr, in Thames-street; and
warehouses of oyle, and wines, and brandy, and other things. Here I saw
Mr. Isaake Houblon, the handsome man, prettily dressed and dirty, at his
door at Dowgate, receiving some of his brothers' things, whose houses
were on fire; and, as he says, have been removed twice already; and he
doubts (as it soon proved) that they must be in a little time removed
from his house also, which was a sad consideration. And to see the
churches all filling with goods by people who themselves should have
been quietly there at this time. By this time it was about twelve
o'clock; and so home, and there find my guests, which was Mr. Wood and
his wife Barbary Sheldon, and also Mr. Moons: she mighty fine, and her
husband; for aught I see, a likely man. But Mr. Moone's design and mine,
which was to look over my closett and please him with the sight thereof,
which he hath long desired, was wholly disappointed; for we were in
great trouble and disturbance at this fire, not knowing what to think
of it. However, we had an extraordinary good dinner, and as merry, as
at this time we could be. While at dinner Mrs. Batelier come to enquire
after Mr. Woolfe and Stanes (who, it seems, are related to them), whose
houses in Fish-street are all burned; and they in a sad condition.
She would not stay in the fright. Soon as dined, I and Moone away, and
walked, through the City, the streets full of nothing but people and
horses and carts loaden with goods, ready to run over one another, and,
removi
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