of proof; and so said the Lord
Chancellor. He answered, that a better law, he thought, might be made
so the House laughing, did refer it to him to bring in a Bill to that
purpose, and this was all. So I away with joyful heart home, calling on
Cocke and telling him the same. So I away home to the office to clear my
Journall for five days, and so home to supper and to bed, my father who
had staid out late and troubled me thereat being come home well and
gone to bed, which pleases me also. This day, coming home, Mr. Kirton's
kinsman, my bookseller, come in my way; and so I am told by him that Mr.
Kirton is utterly undone, and made 2 or L3000 worse than nothing, from
being worth 7 or L8,000. That the goods laid in the Churchyarde fired
through the windows those in St. Fayth's church; and those coming to the
warehouses' doors fired them, and burned all the books and the pillars
of the church, so as the roof falling down, broke quite down, which it
did not do in the other places of the church, which is alike pillared
(which I knew not before); but being not burned, they stand still. He
do believe there is above; L50,000 of books burned; all the great
booksellers almost undone: not only these, but their warehouses at their
Hall, and under Christchurch, and elsewhere being all burned. A great
want thereof there will be of books, specially Latin books and foreign
books; and, among others, the Polyglottes and new Bible, which he
believes will be presently worth L40 a-piece.

6th. Up, and having seen my brother in his cassocke, which I am not the
most satisfied in, being doubtfull at this time what course to have
him profess too soon. To the office and there busy about a list of the
extraordinaries of the charge of the fleete this war; and was led to
go to the office of the ordnance to be satisfied in something, and find
their accounts and books kept in mighty good order, but that they can
give no light, nor will the nature of their affairs permit it to tell
what the charge of the ordnance comes to a man a month. So home again
and to dinner, there coming Creed to me; but what with business and my
hatred to the man, I did not spend any time with him, but after dinner
[my] wife and he and I took coach and to Westminster, but he 'light
about Paul's, and set her at her tailor's, and myself to St. James's,
but there missing [Sir] W. Coventry, returned and took up my wife, and
calling at the Exchange home, whither Sir H. Cholmly come to