for her husband. She tells me he hath lost L140
per annum, but have seven houses left.

15th. All the morning at the office, Harman being come to my great
satisfaction to put up my beds and hangings, so I am at rest, and
followed my business all day. Dined with Sir W. Batten, mighty busy
about this account, and while my people were busy, wrote near thirty
letters and orders with my owne hand. At it till eleven at night; and it
is strange to see how clear my head was, being eased of all the matter
of all these letters; whereas one would think that I should have been
dazed. I never did observe so much of myself in my life. In the evening
there comes to me Captain Cocke, and walked a good while in the garden.
He says he hath computed that the rents of houses lost by this fire
in the City comes to L600,000 per annum; that this will make the
Parliament, more quiet than otherwise they would have been, and give
the King a more ready supply; that the supply must be by excise, as it
is in Holland; that the Parliament will see it necessary to carry on
the warr; that the late storm hindered our beating the Dutch fleete, who
were gone out only to satisfy the people, having no business to do but
to avoid us; that the French, as late in the yeare as it is, are coming;
that the Dutch are really in bad condition, but that this unhappinesse
of ours do give them heart; that there was a late difference between
my Lord Arlington and Sir W. Coventry about neglect in the last to send
away an express of the other's in time; that it come before the King,
and the Duke of Yorke concerned himself in it; but this fire hath
stopped it. The Dutch fleete is not gone home, but rather to the North,
and so dangerous to our Gottenburgh fleete. That the Parliament is
likely to fall foul upon some persons; and, among others, on the
Vice-chamberlaine, though we both believe with little ground. That
certainly never so great a loss as this was borne so well by citizens
in the world; he believing that not one merchant upon the 'Change will
break upon it. That he do not apprehend there will be any disturbances
in State upon it; for that all men are busy in looking after their owne
business to save themselves. He gone, I to finish my letters, and home
to bed; and find to my infinite joy many rooms clean; and myself and
wife lie in our own chamber again. But much terrified in the nights
now-a-days with dreams of fire, and falling down of houses.

16th (Lord's da