een forced to remove her to Islington, her house
in Pye-corner being burned; so that the fire is got so far that way, and
all the Old Bayly, and was running down to Fleete-streete; and Paul's
is burned, and all Cheapside. I wrote to my father this night, but the
post-house being burned, the letter could not go.

[J. Hickes wrote to Williamson on September 3rd from the "Golden
Lyon," Red Cross Street Posthouse. Sir Philip [Frowde] and his lady
fled from the [letter] office at midnight for: safety; stayed
himself till 1 am. till his wife and childrens' patience could stay,
no longer, fearing lest they should be quite stopped up; the passage
was so tedious they had much ado to get where they are. The Chester
and Irish, mails have come-in; sends him his letters, knows not how
to dispose of the business ("Calendar of State Papers," 1666-67,
p. 95).]

5th. I lay down in the office again upon W. Hewer's, quilt, being mighty
weary, and sore in my feet with going till I was hardly able to stand.
About two in the morning my wife calls me up and tells me of new cryes
of fire, it being come to Barkeing Church, which is the bottom of our
lane. I up, and finding it so, resolved presently to take her away, and
did, and took my gold, which was about L2350, W. Newer, and Jane, down
by Proundy's boat to Woolwich; but, Lord! what sad sight it was by
moone-light to see, the whole City almost on fire, that you might see it
plain at Woolwich, as if you were by it. There, when I come, I find
the gates shut, but no guard kept at all, which troubled me, because of
discourse now begun, that there is plot in it, and that the French had
done it. I got the gates open, and to Mr. Shelden's, where I locked
up my gold, and charged, my wife and W. Newer never to leave the room
without one of them in it, night, or day. So back again, by the way
seeing my goods well in the lighters at Deptford, and watched well by
people. Home; and whereas I expected to have seen our house on fire, it
being now about seven o'clock, it was not. But to the fyre, and there
find greater hopes than I expected; for my confidence of finding our
Office on fire was such, that I durst not ask any body how it was with
us, till I come and saw it not burned. But going to the fire, I find by
the blowing up of houses, and the great helpe given by the workmen out
of the King's yards, sent up by Sir W. Pen, there is a good stop given
to it,