id that there was
a fire in his house, in a box of linen, at the same time, but cannot
conceive how this fellow should do it. The boys did swear against one
of them, that he had made it his part to pull the plug out of the engine
while it was a-playing; and it really was so. And goods they did carry
away, and the manner of the setting the house on fire was, that Holmes
did get to a cockpit; where, it seems, there was a publick cockpit,
and set fire to the straw in it, and hath a fire-ball at the end of the
straw, which did take fire, and so it prevailed, and burned the house;
and, among other things they carried away, he took six of the cocks that
were at the cockpit; and afterwards the boys told us how they had one
dressed, by the same token it was so hard they could not eat it. But
that which was most remarkable was the impudence of this Holmes, who
hath been arraigned often, and still got away; and on this business was
taken and broke loose just at Newgate Gate; and was last night luckily
taken about Bow, who got loose, and run into the river, and hid himself
in the rushes; and they pursued him with a dog, and the dog got him and
held him till he was taken. But the impudence of this fellow was such,
that he denied he ever saw the boys before, or ever knew the Russia
House, or that the people knew him; and by and by the mistress of the
Russia House was called in, being indicted, at the same time, about
another thing; and she denied that the fellow was of her acquaintance,
when it was pretty to see how the little boys did presently fall upon
her, and ask her how she durst say so, when she was always with them
when they met at her house, and particularly when she come in in her
smock before a dozen of them, at which the Court laughed, and put the
woman away. Well, this fellow Holmes was found guilty of the act of
burning the house, and other things, that he stood indicted for. And
then there were other good cases, as of a woman that come to serve a
gentlewoman, and in three days run away, betimes in the morning, with a
great deal of plate and rings, and other good things. It was time very
well spent to be here. Here I saw how favourable the judge was to a
young gentleman that struck one of the officers, for not making him
room: told him he had endangered the loss of his hand, but that he hoped
he had not struck him, and would suppose that he had not struck him.
About that the Court rose, and I to dinner with my Lord Mayor