ith 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 Woolwich and Deptford yards (none whereof yet appeared), and to
write to Sir W. Coventry to have the Duke of Yorke's permission to pull
down houses, rather than lose this office, which would, much hinder, the
King's business. So Sir W. Pen he 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. 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 I 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, and saw how horridly
the sky looks, all on a fire in the night, was enough to put us out of
our wits; and, indeed, it was extremely dreadful, for it looks just as
if it was at us; and the whole heaven on fire. I after supper walked in
the darke down to Tower-streete, and there saw it all on fire, at the
Trinity House on that side, and the Dolphin Taverne 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-streete, those next the
Tower, which at first did frighten people more than anything, but it
stopped the fire where it was done, it bringing down the

[A copy of this letter, preserved among the Pepys MSS. in the
author's own handwriting, 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 this
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 had 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